‘A very special place in our hearts’ - Kim Leadbeater and fellow Labour members share fond memories of Batley and Spen as party reorganises for next election

At an evening to mark the last ever meeting of the Batley and Spen Constituency Labour Party, people exchanged stories going back even before the current seat was created 40 years ago.

At the election, expected next year, Kim will be standing in the new ‘Spen Valley’ which will take in Mirfield and Kirkheaton. She thanked everybody for their “amazing hard work and dedication over the years supporting the party and helping get our message across to the voters”.

Tributes were also paid to all the MPs who had represented Batley and Spen over the years as well as the local councillors and activists.

Kim said: “Batley and Spen has had more than its fair share of elections and by-elections and they haven’t always been easy. We’ve seen people try to divide our community and push people apart but we’ve stuck together and continued to show the best of this wonderful part of the world.

“It’s sad, of course, to see the old constituency disappear but I’m still the MP for Batley and Spen until the election and if I’m lucky enough to be elected in Spen Valley it will be an honour to continue to represent the place where I was born and brought up and have lived all my life.”