Ipswich Labour MP Jack Abbott looks back on his campaign and how he wants to build a positive future for the town

Leadership, unity, ambition – these three words will drive Labour’s Jack Abbott as he strives to build a positive future for Ipswich.

It is two years to the day since the former Suffolk County Councillor was selected to represent the party for Ipswich constituency.

Shortly before 3.30am on Friday, his hard-fought campaign paid off as he unseated Tory incumbent Tom Hunt with 19,099 votes – a majority of more than 7,400 compared with Mr Hunt’s 11,696.

In his victory speech he promised change, said he stood for office because he was proud of Ipswich, and thanked everyone who voted for him.

First stepping into Parliament on Sunday, Jack, who moved to Suffolk aged 10, said he was determined to hit the ground running.

Jack, 33, said: “We were pretty confident on election night, the mood on doorsteps was good, but nothing is set until the votes are cast and there would have been no regrets if we didn’t make it over the line.

“You can’t take anything for granted on election night. You can do all the canvassing and campaigning you want, but we had to turn those Labour promises into Labour votes.”

Jack said he and his team were prepared and raring to go when Rishi Sunak called the election on May 22.

But seeking public office is a long and hard process and less than 48 hours after winning office, he was already gearing up for life in Westminster.

“On Sunday, we were doing inductions, getting our feet under the table,” he said.

“I might have been tired after a long campaign, but it’s nothing compared to how exhausted the people in Ipswich must feel right now.

“They have no money in their pockets, with what they do have not going as far; public services are on their knees. I was elected to change things.

“Since then, it has been full on. I had my first day in the chamber where I was sworn in, we’ve had to sort out offices, train and hire people to ensure we are as effective as we can be.”

Jack said he was restless to make his pledges a reality.

However, he said was aware it would only get busier from here as the Government he represents looked to implement their plans.

While there were key national issues which need to be addressed, Jack said he hoped to deal with the topics on people’s lips at home.

“We talk about issues with healthcare, but in Ipswich it’s impossible to get an NHS dentist. We’ve heard horror stories of people having to pull their own teeth out – not what you’d expect from 21st Century Britain.

“We also have to ensure there are enough teachers so our children get the best education possible.

“I’ve also made it a goal to work to revive our town centre. It doesn’t work if we have an MP talking it down, and it’s my mission to talk it up and encourage people and businesses to set up in Ipswich.

“But there are also bigger things such as the energy transition. There will be lots of renewables coming to the county and I want to ensure kids from Suffolk and Ipswich are filling those roles.”

Jack said while he didn’t have a huge pot of money, he did have the power and influence to make things better.

However, he said he did not underestimate the hard work ahead of him over the next five years, nor did he think things would get better just because he is MP.

There was a huge job ahead of them to rebuild the economy and public services, but with new Prime Minister Keir Starmer already making changes, he said he was hopeful for the future.

Jack said: “Leadership, unity and ambition are the three words that have defined my campaign.

“It’s not just about winging about challenges, it’s about getting everyone around the table and bringing people together.

“We all, regardless of political colours, have lots of things in common and it serves no purpose to divide each other or look for reasons to fall out. We’ll achieve a lot more if we work together.

“However, it’s also about being positive about the future. In Ipswich, there’s a lot of potential on offer but we just have to reach out and grab it.”

Jack added: “I want kids growing up in Ipswich to have great opportunities. I want people living in decent homes and having money to spend. And this is what I’ll hold myself to as an MP.

“It’s a privilege to be here.”