Stuart Andrew, MP for Daventry, speaking at the WNC election count
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00:00See, how has it been so far in your role as MP?
00:03Oh, I've absolutely, you know, loving every minute of it. I have to say, when I go out and about across the constituency, which I try and do a lot of,
00:11I get to meet some amazing people who do some great work in the community, meet amazing businesses that are really trying to think about, you know, how they can grow their businesses.
00:20But also just everybody has been so welcoming to me as their Member of Parliament and I'm trying to sort of deliver on the pledge that I made, which was to be an active and available MP.
00:32So I hope that that's what people are feeling.
00:34And the Conservative wards are available today. Are you optimistic about the outcomes of this local election?
00:39So, look, I'm going to be honest. I think these are going to be a tough set of elections for us.
00:43You know, it is right to say that at the last time these wards were being fought, there was an extraordinary result for us as a party.
00:53We were winning literally seats all over the place.
00:56Trying to defend that so soon after a very crushing defeat in the general election is going to be a real challenge.
01:03And my concern really is for the councillors who really do work hard in their constituencies and they may well lose out today through no fault of their own.
01:15And I pay tribute to their sort of hard work and tenacity.
01:18These are going to be, I think, it's going to be a challenging day today for us.
01:22But I think what that does is send a very clear message that the reform that we're doing in terms of rebuilding our party, rebuilding trust with the electorate is something we've got a lot of work to do.
01:36We've already started it, but it means that we've got to get on with it a lot quicker.
01:40And in terms of, you mentioned about campaigning.
01:43So who have you been supporting on their campaigning journey in the run up to this local election?
01:47So I've literally been in every single ward in my own constituency.
01:50I literally walked 14 miles the other day being out on the doorstep and delivering literature because I, you know, I value the work that our councillors have been doing.
02:01They've worked incredibly hard for their communities and I want to show support to them.
02:06We'll have to see how the results go.
02:09But I know it's going to be a difficult day for some of them and we are going to lose seats.
02:14There's no doubt about that.
02:15But what we need to do is sort of think about how we rebuild locally, how we reconnect, how we rebuild that trust with the electorate.
02:25And, you know, there'll be some parties that are promising the earth here.
02:28And, you know, it's interesting that Nigel Farage said his biggest fear is delivery.
02:34That's the point.
02:35It's so easy to say what's wrong.
02:38It's much harder to fix it.
02:40And, you know, we'll see how some of those candidates who've made a lot of promises actually deliver on what they've been promising the electorate.
02:48And in terms of the Conservative manifesto, what are the key priorities for councillors, the Conservative councillors?
02:54What would be their first priorities when they get into their wards?
02:58What will they be working across West Northamptonshire on?
03:01So it really depends on each ward, of course, because there'll be different issues.
03:04So if you look at some of the more rural constituencies, they're really up against it with large scale proposals for solar farms and wind farms that are going to eat into really important agricultural land.
03:17Others, of course, will be talking about the potholes.
03:19And it's good that, you know, the council have put in another 10 million.
03:22We're starting to see improvements to those roads and there's more work to do.
03:28But there are other really key challenging issues like children's services, social care.
03:34These are, you know, we're growing old as a population, which is fantastic.
03:37But that does mean that we have to think about how we provide care for older people in a way that is good for them.
03:44But I think also people have been contacting us because they are really worried about what Labour have been doing in government.
03:51To businesses who now have to pay much more national insurance and business rates, that's having a real problem and effect on them.
03:59And pensioners who've lost their winter fuel allowance.
04:01And, of course, the farm tax is something that all farmers I've spoken to are deeply, deeply worried about.
04:07So there's a whole host of issues that are both local and national.
04:11And I'll be making sure that I'll do everything I can to work with those councillors, those conservative councillors, who are successful today.