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'Surreal' first day at the office for Wales' newest MP

(L-R) Tom Watson, Chris Elmore, Gill Furniss and Jeremy Corbyn
Image caption,

New Labour MPs Chris Elmore (second left) and Gill Furniss are welcomed to Westminster by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and his deputy Tom Watson.

Wales' newest MP has arrived at Westminster to take his seat in the House of Commons.

Chris Elmore was elected at a by-election in Ogmore last Thursday and replaced Huw Irranca-Davies, who was elected to the Welsh Assembly on the same day.

Mr Elmore, with fellow new MP Gill Furniss, was greeted by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, at St Stephen's Entrance before taking the oath.

Mr Corbyn praised the new MPs for "great victories last week on top of all the other gains we made across the country". (Labour took the London mayoralty but lost some council seats and came third in Scotland behind the Conservatives).

"It's very exciting, incredibly surreal," said the new MP.

"It's just been a bit of a whirlwind right from the moment I arrived yesterday evening right through to today. It's really fascinating, loving it so far and looking forward to getting on with the job.

Any nerves?

"Oh yes, of course, it would be absurd to say not. It's Parliament, it's something that I've aspired to for a long time, and just being here, meeting people, seeing MPs that you see on the television and going 'oh, I recognise that person'.

"So yes, of course there is but also a lot of excitement and I'm really keen to push on and start speaking in the chamber and getting on with the job of representing people from Ogmore."

Asked why he wanted to sit in Westminster rather than Cardiff Bay, he highlighted work and pensions, foreign and defences issues as those where Welsh MPs could play a role.

He said Jeremy Corbyn had his support as Labour leader. But was he an asset on the doorstep?

"We didn't have any negativity on the doors at all about Jeremy. He came up to Maesteg the day before the poll. People were very very positive towards him in Maesteg, he met businesses, all very positive - and it's good to be here," he said.