Keir Mather has made history after being elected as Labour MP for Selby and Ainsty at 25, making him the youngest MP in the Commons.
Mather overturned a 20,000 majority in the North Yorkshire constituency of Selby and Ainsty.
"Today we have made history," he told the crowd during his victory speech following the by-election.
After the results at Selby Leisure Centre, Mather told reporters: “As a young person in politics, I really hope to be a representative for the power that young people have to make a difference.”
He was also asked whether he could really understand voter’s concerns and said, "Well, I’m a taxpayer too, I feel the pressures like anyone else.”
Who is Keir Mather?
Keir Mather was born in Hull and grew up in Brough, a village in the East Riding area of Yorkshire.
In a video on Labour’s website, Mather says: "There isn’t much I love more than being down on the terraces, a place where people come together, where you’re part of a community and you sing with one voice."
While a student at the University of Oxford, studying history and politics, he became an officer at the Oxford Union debating society. His candidacy was supported by the GMB and Unison unions.
Before working as a senior public affairs adviser at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Mather was a parliamentary researcher for shadow health secretary Wes Streeting.
He also became a political leadership scholar at the Blavatnik School of Government, according to the University of Oxford.
Mather said his first priority would be setting up financial support centres in the constituency for people to get expert help with mortgage payments and energy bills.
Mather also said the cost-of-living crisis was the number one issue on the doorstep throughout the campaign.
He told journalists that he supported Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s controversial policy of keeping the two-child benefit cap.
Labour leader Keir Starmer said the new MP would be a “fantastic MP who’ll deliver the fresh start that Selby and Ainsty deserves”.
How have politicians responded to Mather’s election?
Not everyone is best pleased with the result. When Conservatives Veterans’ minister Johnny Mercer was asked his opinion about the result, he told BBC News. “I think it’s always good to get new people in politics. I think we mustn’t repeat The Inbetweeners. You’ve got to have people who have actually done stuff.
“This guy has been at Oxford University more than he’s been at a job,” he added. “I don’t agree with this style of politics.”
Angela Rayner, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, responded by saying: “I think the Conservatives need to read the room.”
Rayner added: “Being 25, he’s of that generation that is looking at insecure work, looking at not being able to ever own their own home - and looking at the challenges that they face with the cost of living now, that leaves them in this spiral of not being able to get on in life.”
