BBCReform UK’s Luke Campbell has been elected the first mayor for Hull and East Yorkshire.
The former boxer and Olympic gold medallist was among six candidates running to become the new mayor when voting took place on Thursday.
Campbell received 48,491 votes, ahead of Liberal Democrat Mike Ross, who came second with 37,510 votes.
He said he was “humbled” by the support of voters and vowed to earn the “trust and respect” of his critics.
“I’m not politically experienced but I think that is one of my strengths. I will work my socks off and put my heart into this role,” Campbell said.
“I have no interest in being an MP or working my way through the party, I’m here to represent the people.
“I understand I won’t please everybody but if I can have an impact and make a difference to our community that’s all I want to do.”
Campbell, who won gold at London 2012, will represent more than 610,000 people who live in the region.
He criticised the level of funding his new role would control. “I will be going to London to demand more for our region – £13.3m is nothing and won’t go anywhere,” he added.
Conservative Anne Handley came third with 21,393 votes, ahead of Labour’s Margaret Pinder, with 18,568. Kerry Harrison, for the Green Party, received 5,049 votes and Rowan Halstead, of the Yorkshire Party, 4,372.
The turnout across Hull and East Yorkshire was 29.9% with a total of 135,703 votes cast. The result was announced at the East Riding Leisure Centre, Haltemprice.
Richard Tice MP, the deputy leader of Reform UK, said Campbell would be a “great mayor” for the region.
He said: “He’ll have a common sense approach to bringing people together and a bullish vision for Hull and East Yorkshire.
“The sport of boxing requires courage, tenacity, bravery, which Luke has in huge abundance.
“He will rise to the challenge, he’ll have good people around him and he’ll be very successful.”
As head of the combined authority, Campbell will serve a four-year term and will make decisions on housing, public transport, infrastructure, economic development, business, skills and regeneration.
The position was established after a devolution deal was approved by government in September for the creation of the Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority, which brings together Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council.
Both Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council will retain their independence and continue their work as normal.
EPAHull’s three Labour MPs, Dame Diana Johnson, Karl Turner and Emma Hardy released a joint statement offering their congratulations to Campbell.
They said: “Though we represent different parties, we share common goals – to improve the lives of our constituents and help this region thrive.
“We will continue our long-standing record of working cross-party, alongside the business community, to promote the economic interests of Hull, the East Riding and the Humber.
“In that spirit, we look forward to working with the new mayor to finally secure the potential £15bn of private investment in green energy and net-zero initiatives around the Humber.”
Analysis by Tim Iredale, political editor
In his professional boxing career Luke Campbell won 20 bouts and lost four.
Now he can add another win to his belt after delivering a knockout blow to his opponents in the fight to become mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire.
The Olympic champion’s big selling point to voters, particularly in working class areas, was that he better understood their needs as he was not a professional politician.
But that is Campbell’s occupation now as he takes up a full-time role as the face of this brand new mayoralty, representing 600,000 people.
Some will argue that Hull’s shining star of London 2012 has benefited from disillusioned voters, who turned to Reform UK after becoming tired of broken promises from the established parties.
Now he has the chance to prove them wrong by trying to better the fortunes of those who feel left behind in this part of Yorkshire.
The former lightweight begins what could be his toughest challenge – a heavyweight political role, where his critics won’t pull any punches.
