Labour MPs call for unity as party retains both Luton constituencies in historic night

Rachel Hopkins and Sarah Owen at the count in Luton. Picture: Luton Borough Council

Labour comfortably retained its two Parliamentary seats in Luton on a triumphant night for the party, but with reduced majorities in both constituencies.

Sarah Owen topped the Luton North poll with 14,677 votes, with Conservative Jilleane Brown coming second on 7,167.

And former Luton borough councillor Rachel Hopkins kept her Parliamentary seat, which became Luton South and South Bedfordshire following boundary changes.

Ms Owen thanked the voters for putting their trust in her and re-electing her, saying: “I love Luton. It’s my home and I’m so proud to represent it.

“To those that didn’t vote for me this time, and I know there were some who found it difficult to make their minds up, I will continue to work incredibly hard to represent everyone in Luton North.

“We’ve a job to unify our town once again because we need to put back the dignity, respect and cohesion which was sadly lacking at times during this debate.

“Luton North has chosen unity over division, hope over fear and action over rhetoric and change over more of the same.”

Reform UK’s James Fletcher came third with 4,666 votes, Independent candidate Toqueer Shah polled 4,393 and former Luton borough councillor Waheed Akbar of the Workers Party of Britain got 3,914 votes.

Ejel Khan of the Green Party received 1,940 votes, Sean Prendergast for the Liberal Democrats 1,890 and Paul Trathen for the Social Democratic Party got 98.

The turnout was 51.99 per cent with 38,745 votes cast and 162 rejected.

Ms Owen is the first MP of South East Asian descent and the first female MP of Chinese descent, having entered Parliament after the 2019 General Election. She polled 23,496 in 2019 with a majority of 9,253 compared to 7,510 this year.

Ms Hopkins topped the Luton South and South Bedfordshire poll with 13,593 votes, ahead of Conservative Central Bedfordshire councillor Mark Versallion on 6,735 and Independent candidate Attiq Malik on 5,384.

Reform UK’s Norman MacLean received 4,759 votes, Yasin Rehman gained 3,110 for the Workers Party of Britain, the Green Party’s Edward Carpenter got 2,401 and Liberal Democrat Dominic Griffiths received 2,400.

Ms Hopkins said: “It’s an absolute privilege to be elected to serve your community and I’ll continue to do so with integrity.

“I want to thank the people of Luton South and South Bedfordshire for putting their trust in me and re-electing me. People have voted for change after 14 years of Conservative failure.

“It’s now up to us as a Labour Party and an in-coming Labour government to rebuild trust when it comes to the economy, rebuild our decimated public services and rebuild trust and integrity in politics.”

She backed her Luton North colleague’s call for unity, adding: “We want to continue to build this across our town and constituencies.”

Ms Hopkins won the former Luton South constituency at the 2019 General Election with 21,787 votes and a majority of 8,756 compared to 6,858 this time.

The turnout was 49.87 with 38,382 votes cast and 176 rejected.

Both MPs will hope to gain ministerial recognition when Prime Minister elect Sir Keir Starmer selects his first Cabinet.