General Election Leeds: Rachel Reeves wins Leeds West and Pudsey as stage set for first female Chancellor

The high-profile Labour politician was re-elected with 18,976 votes, beating her closest rival, Conservative candidate Lee Farmer, by more than 12,000 votes.

Mrs Reeves, a former economist at the Bank of England, has been the MP for Leeds West since 2010, rising to the role of Shadow Chancellor four years ago.

A key member of Keir Starmer’s team, her win was announced to applause in the John Charles Centre for Sport at 2am this morning (July 5).

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In a speech, she said: “My job now is to speak for the whole constituency - those who voted for me, and those who didn’t. I promise I will do just that.

“I will fight for you every day to deliver the change that people in Leeds West and Pudsey deserve.

“I do not want to pre-empt the results - but if what we have seen so far holds out, it is clear that the British people have voted for change.

“That in the coming hours, after 14 years, people will wake up to the prospect of a new government - the first Labour victory in nearly two decades.”

Her victory sets the stage for her to take the reins of the British economy, as she is more than likely to become Chancellor in the next government.

A final poll by YouGov predicted that she would comfortably hold onto her seat in Leeds West and Pudsey. In third place was Andrea Whitehead, the Reform UK candidate, with 6,281 votes, while Ann Forsaith of the Green Party came in fourth with 3,794 votes.