Newly Elected MP For Hammersmith Thanks Voters

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Andy Slaughter "absolutely delighted"

The new MP for Hammersmith (and Shepherd's Bush), Andy Slaughter, has thanked all those who voted for him in last Thursday's General Election.

"I just want to thank everyone who voted to get me elected as MP for Hammersmith, and to assure all my constituents that, whether or not I was your first choice, you will have tireless and professional service from me between now and the next General Election.

"I am absolutely delighted to be Hammersmith’s MP. This has been a tough three-year campaign run on a shoestring budget while doing my work as MP for Ealing, Acton & Shepherd's Bush. In the end, I think my and Labour’s message got across despite facing the highest-funded opposition campaign in UK political history. On the night, our result was one of the best in the country, and Lord Ashcroft felt he’d been short-changed.

"Who’s responsible for it? Firstly, the fantastic team of volunteers, party workers and community reps who turned out to help and support. My young team of activists at Greyhound Road HQ and in the ten wards were supplemented by scores of people who showed up to help in the days and weeks before polling. I have never been involved in such a positive and energetic campaign.

"Secondly, the people who turned out to vote. Turnout in Labour areas in particular was at record levels. I hope this is because people feel they can trust me to represent their best interests after 25 years. But it was also a response to the divisive and extremist policies of the Tories locally and nationally. I will continue to stick up for residents threatened by cuts in vital public services, battling greedy developers or facing the loss of their homes as part of the council’s social engineering and vote-fixing scams.

"With the national situation so volatile, it is important that we hang onto clear principles. Labour’s commitment remains the same whether in power or not: to cut the deficit without cutting vital services. While we acknowledge the importance of halving the deficit over the next four years schools, the NHS and jobs must be protected.

"Locally, my job is more straightforward. I will work with residents and community groups in Shepherd's Bush, Hammersmith and Fulham to make sure their voices are heard. And through my weekly surgeries around the constituency and my casework team at Greyhound Road I will deal quickly and efficiently with the issues constituents need to raise."

A council spokesman said: "Allegations of council vote fixing are pure fantasy with no basis in reality. Unsubstantiated lies should not be presented as fact by any media outlet."

May 11, 2010