Kim Leadbeater: Sister of Jo Cox is new Batley and Spen MP

Kim Leadbeater has narrowly won the Batley and Spen by-election for Labour, defeating her Conservative rival by just 323 votes.

The self-styled "proud Yorkshirewoman" is the sister of Jo Cox, the constituency's former MP who was murdered by a right-wing extremist in 2016.

Ms Leadbeater said it was "inevitable" to think about her sister and her family as she celebrated her victory.

She said her success in the by-election was down to having being "born and bred" in the constituency.

Following her selection as Labour's candidate, she said: "I'm a proud Yorkshirewoman and have lived in Batley and Spen all my life.

"I have a deep understanding of the area, its people and some of the challenges it faces."

Ms Leadbeater was born in Heckmondwike in 1976, two years younger than sister Jo, to parents Jean and Gordon.

Her father was a factory worker and her mother was a school secretary.

She said she had "loads of happy memories" of her childhood in the area.

"A lot of that is centred around family: getting together for fish and chips on a Saturday afternoon; going down to Woolworths in Heckmondwike to get our pick-and-mix.

"To be part of a family is really special."

Along with her sister, Ms Leadbeater attended the primary school and then the grammar school in Heckmondwike, before working in local shops and subsequently becoming an exercise instructor.

She returned to education in her mid-20s and eventually qualified as a teacher, going on to lecture at Kirklees College and Bradford College.

She would later set up her own fitness and wellbeing business.

The death of sister Jo in 2016 saw her thrust into the public eye as her family mourned their loss.

She would go on to become an ambassador with the foundation established in Ms Cox's memory and has campaigned on issues her sister fought for, such as social cohesion and loneliness.

Ms Leadbeater has also been a spokesperson for the annual Great Get Together, a weekend of community events usually held across the UK at the end of June.

She has spoken frequently about the importance of community - pledging that would be a focus if she became the new MP for the constituency.

"I think one of the things I would look to achieve across the area is to ensure every person in Batley and Spen feels like they are part of a community," she said.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Kim Leadbeater co-ordinated mutual aid groups and since March 2020 she has raised £53,000 in direct support for the most vulnerable.

In the New Year Honours, she was appointed MBE for her charity work.

Reflecting on her decision to stand for election in the same constituency her sister had been the MP, she said it had been "really emotional".

"As a family, this is a huge deal. If I can be half as good an MP as Jo was then I will be very proud.

"It was a massive decision for us as a family and it was a family decision to put myself forward."

Putting her campaign's success down to focusing on local issues, she said: "People want an MP who cares about this community."

She added: "As somebody who has lived here their whole life, I think that's where the connection came from through this campaign.

"The fact that I am born and bred here has been really important to people."

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