Keir Starmer warns about voting for independents as he makes election vow in Willenhall visit
Sir Keir Starmer said he took nothing for granted and would fight for every seat over the coming months during a visit to the Black Country.
The Labour leader said there was still much to do in the West Midlands after failing to take control of Dudley Council in this month's local elections.
The region is likely to be crucial in determining who will form the next Government, with seats key marginal seats in the Black Country, Shropshire and Staffordshire within Labour's sights.
Wolverhampton West has been identified as number five on Labour's target seats based on the percentage swing needed, with Walsall and Bloxwich and West Bromwich featuring in the top 25. Other target seats are likely to include Tipton and Wednesbury, Shrewsbury and Telford.
Sir Keir warned that voting for independent candidates was a recipe for more 'chaos and division' under the Conservatives, after independent candidate Akhmed Yakoob secured almost 70,000 votes in this month's mayoral election.
A new group of three former councillors in Sandwell – a must-win area for Labour at the General Election – have formed a new collective with a view to standing as independent candidates in the future.
Sir Keir visited GTG training in Willenhall along with his deputy Angela Rayner and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves where they held a get-together with the party's 11 elected mayors.
They included new West Midland metro-mayor Richard Parker, who defeated incumbent Andy Street by a wafer-thin majority of 1,508 votes at the election earlier this month.
The poll saw independent Akhmed Yakoob, who stood on an anti-Labour platform, secure third place with almost 70,000 votes.
