Industry supporters Rob Flello and Jane Ellison loose seats in general election upset

Rob Flello, political champion of the haulage industry, has been ousted as Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent South by Conservative candidate Jack Brereton.

Flello, who was chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Freight Transport and a member of the Transport Committee, lost his seat to Brereton by just 663 votes in last week’s general election.

Flello, who voted remain in last year’s EU Referendum, was defending one of the most pro-Brexit areas in the country with more than 70% of his constituents backing leave.

A 6.5% decrease in Flello’s majority in the 2015 general election, combined with strong presence of Ukip supporters, placed the constituency on the Conservative party’s hit list, with Theresa May visiting Stoke-on- Trent twice during the election campaign.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Freight Transport has yet to announce who will replace Flello.

RHA national policy director Jack Semple said: “We are very disappointed that Rob lost his seat by just a few hundred votes.

“The industry has lost a good friend and supporter at Westminster. We would like to pay tribute to Rob for his efforts as an MP on behalf of the road haulage sector on a range of issues, not least on parking and skills.”

Semple said the loss of Treasury financial secretary Jane Ellison in the election was also of concern. Ellison lost her Battersea seat to Labour’s Marsha De Cordova, who won by a majority of 2,416 votes and a 10% swing.

Semple said: “It is not clear who will replace Jane Ellison and that is very important to us as we are at a critical period in discussing the shambles of the overnight allowance with the Treasury.”

Louise Ellman, Labour MP and chairwoman of the Transport Committee, retained her Liverpool Riverside seat.

The FTA has urged a customs union rethink from the government after the election result.