General Election 2024: Mark Garnier hails 'fantastic victory'

Mr Garnier now has a reduced majority of 812 after receiving 14,489 votes in Thursday’s election (July 4).

Labour candidate Vicki Smith received 13,677 votes. Mr Garnier’s majority was previously 21,413 following the 2019 general election. 

During his acceptance speech, Mr Garnier thanked his team for their “phenomenal job.”

He said: “This is a fantastic victory for us, although I do completely understand that people are angry with my party.

“But that doesn’t stop my resolve to work incredibly hard for Wyre Forest”.

Mark Garnier paid tribute to Dr Richard Taylor during his speech (Image: NQ)

He also thanked his wife Caroline, who recently received medical treatment.

He said: “I do want to thank more than anybody else my wife Caroline, who during the course of this campaign found herself diagnosed with a condition which needed medical treatment and is recovering now from an operation she had on Tuesday.

“She’s been an absolute rock”.

Mr Garnier also paid tribute to his predecessor Dr Richard Taylor, who died last week aged 89.

He added: “Richard was an individual who I think epitomized all that is good about politics. His was an example of decency and an example of action”.

Labour’s Vicki Smith also spoke after the result was declared, thanking her fellow candidates.

Vicki Smith at the count (Image: NQ)

She said: “Thank you to everyone who has been involved in today’s election, the election staff, police, party activists and most of all the voters.

“I’d like to thank Mark Garnier and all the other candidates for a clean and respectful campaign”.

Reform candidate Bill Hopkins received 9682, Shazu Miah of the Lib Dems received 2809 votes, Green Party candidate John Davis received 2443 votes, Independent candidate Leigh Whitehouse received 1535 and independent candidate Nigel Geary received 523 votes.

The turnout in Wyre Forest was 58.57%