Worcester’s new MP says fixing the city’s transport and healthcare problems are among his top priorities.

Labour’s Tom Collins was elected on a night when the party looked set to secure a large majority in the House of Commons.

He said he was looking forward to taking his seat in Westminster and being a part of a Labour government, but was fully aware of the issues that matter to Worcester residents.

“The people of Worcester have put their faith in Labour and in me to deliver change - that’s so exciting because now we have an opportunity to make that difference,” said Mr Collins.

“Labour has changed as a party, we’ve been listening to people. So our priorities I know are their priorities - to get our economy back in a good place, to fix the NHS and get it fit for the future, to lean into the green transition and take all the opportunities that offers.

“To sort out crime and anti-social behaviour and to make sure children have all those barriers to opportunities broken down.

“I’m really looking forward to, in Westminster, being part of the opportunity to do that.

“But right here in Worcester, we’ve got all sorts of things we need to do locally - we know we’ve got problems with our buses and transport, our hospital’s on its knees, people can’t see a doctor or a dentist.

“These are the things I want to start working on locally straight away.

“But I also want to grasp all of the opportunities that are in front of us. What I said this evening was that, to anyone who wants to start something ‘This is your moment to take that next small step towards it’.

“This is a moment of huge hope and opportunity for our country but I believe it is a moment of hope and opportunity for our city, too.”