Brickell ‘looking forward to getting to work as soon as possible’

Labour’s Phil Brickell has said he is ‘looking forward to getting to work as soon as possible’ after beating Conservative Chris Green by more than 4,000 votes in the General Election . With a turnout of 59.79 per cent, Mr Brickell gained 17,363 votes – or around 39 per cent.

Incumbent Green was in second, with 12,418 votes. Reform UK’s Dylan Evans gained 8,517, while the Green Party’s Vicki Attenborough came fourth with 4,132. The Liberal Democrats came fifth with 1,966 votes, while the English Democrats’ Patrick McGrath came last with just 202 votes.

Earlier in the night, Mr Brickell had been cautious to speak with media – assuring them he would engage in conversation after the result had been declared. Released hours earlier, the exit poll run by Ipsos UK for Sky News, the BBC, and ITV had predicted that Brickell would gain the seat with a 98 per cent likelihood – something a buoyed Green had – with tongue firmly in cheek – said put his chances at double what the exit poll had predicted in 2017, when he retained his seat. ALSO READ: Chris Green’s advice to Phil Brickell after losing his seat .

Speaking to the Bolton News after stepping down from the stage, Mr Brickell said: “I’m delighted that we’ve got a really good result here in Bolton West, the first time since 2010 that we’ve won the seat as a Labour party, and we’ve already had the declaration in Bolton South & Walkden. “The Bolton North East one will be coming shortly and I’m hop.