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Have the best summer of your life, shaping young lives and exploring the world whilst at it.

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🇦🇺 Book your Working Holiday in Australia for the ultimate work & travel experience! 🦘 🇦🇺 Book your Working Holiday in Australia for the ultimate work & travel experience! 🦘

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Global Work & Travel

Why Choose Global Work & Travel?

In 2008, Global Work & Travel was founded in Australia's Gold Coast, where our founders started from a garage. Since then, we've grown to become a leading brand in the work and travel industry, having helped over 75,000 people fulfill their travel dreams. Our headquarters are in Australia, and we have offices in the UK and Canada. We offer over 100 culturally enriching travel experiences to over 30 countries worldwide. Our trips are equipped with technology designed to make travel safer, more convenient, and more connected. We provide deals, language courses, and even a private social network to help you connect with other travelers. Our app makes it easy to plan your trip from your phone. With so many experiences available, we're confident that we have something for everyone. So let's find the perfect travel experience for you, and we'll see you overseas soon!

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Global Work & Travel Programs

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9.33 6 reviews

Working Holiday in Canada | The Ultimate Gap Year

Hands down, Canada has some of the best scenery in the world! With the dramatic change of seasons, it is truly a country with something for everyone. Global Work & Travel is here to ensure your working holid...

10 1 reviews

Working Holiday Australia

Australia is a hefty trip! You would not want to cover all that distance and miss out on the adventure of a lifetime, would you?Don’t worry! Global Work & Travel ensures your working holiday in Australia is ...

Working Holiday in New Zealand – Your New Home in the South

Feeling like life needs a jolt of excitement? Ready for the next big thrill? If you are up for two years of non-stop adrenaline, we have the perfect spot for you! Global Work & Travel guarantees a working ho...

Work Holiday in Ireland - Cash In on the Luck of the Irish

Ireland is known for dark beers in cozy pubs. Its dramatic scenery, ancient culture, and friendly Irish people will make you never want to leave. The Irish are known for their hospitality. The locals embrace...

Au Pair Italy – Complete Italian Cultural Experience

Life in Italy has been romanticized for centuries, which means all that romance must be infused into the fabric of this fabulous nation. Italians are serious about loving life. This shows up in their passion...

0 0 reviews

Teach in Thailand | Teach & Travel Around Asia

Making such a remarkable change in your life does not come around often! Embark on a journey to the other side of the world, obtain an internationally recognized qualification, and teach English in a stunnin...

Global Work & Travel Reviews

Hear what past participants have to say about the programs

Overall Rating

Total reviews, review rating.

Tom Fisher, 24

United Kingdom

My experience with Global Work and Travel was fantastic

My experience with Global Work and Travel was fantastic, it was very smooth running and I had a great coordinator helping me every step up along the way. Eimear was always patient, friendly and ver...

Laura Moir, 30

Sooo glad I opted to go with Global Work & Travel

''Sooo glad I opted to go with Global Work & Travel. They help you every step of the way, any problems I had they were just an email away. I can't Thank Eimear (travel coordinator) enough for her h...

Vanda M, 30

United States

Working Holiday in New Zealand

I signed up for work holiday in New Zealand with a friend, and my trip coordinator was Kim Olsen. She was very helpful and friendly through out my entire process leading up to New Zealand, when I a...

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Reviews 4.3.

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Horrible horrible company

Horrible horrible company. Literally a scam. Pressures young people who have barely any money to pay them for services that anyone can do for a fraction of the cost. And then when you realize this, they’re cancellation policy is a joke, they give you “store credit” for another trip.

Date of experience : 28 April 2024

Reply from Global Work & Travel

Hi Destin, We are saddened to hear how you feel about your recent booking with us. All of our customers book our trips on our website directly, you are able to read all the details of what is included in our trip to then make the decision if you would like to make a booking with us. Before booking your trip, you must read the Terms & Conditions and agree to them before finalising your booking. Our cancellation policy is clearly outlined in our T&C's and also on our website. Global Work & Travel

Incredible!

Rebecca and Ellen are incredible! I did not make it easy for them with my schedule but they made it work without a fuss and helped me out tremendously! I could not recommend them or this company more.

Date of experience : 01 May 2024

So helpful!

As this is my first time travelling abroad alone, I thought it would be best to go throught a company. Global Work and Travel have been an amazing help so far; they've helpfully answered any questions I have, given me an insight as to what it may be like and are willing to set me up with the starting necessities I need for my trip. All the Global staff i have communicated with so far have been nothing but kind and useful. I would absolutely consider booking through them in the future.

Date of experience : 23 April 2024

Horrible turnover/ frustrating experience with travel concierge

I would give my trip coordinator 5 stars. My travel concierge, however, changed people 3 times. Someone new would call and introduce themselves as my travel concierge and I have no idea who I ended up with. Gave me very little info to the point I had to go back and talk to my trip coordinator. Didn’t include the things we spoke about in proposed plan originally and didn’t tell me they would be sending a confirmation email. I guess the travel concierge is just supposed to take your money for your flight and then hand you back over to the trip coordinator. Thank god, I’d rather work with my trip coordinator instead of a 4th person who’s not going to give me any information and make me feel like giving them my money is scam.

Date of experience : 22 April 2024

Global has made planning this trip stress free!

Global has been very helpful throughout this process. I have never booked a trip this big before and they helped me so much. They made the process stress free by laying out everything for me and giving me all the details I needed to feel confident in my travel decisions. With all of the helpful documents and emails provided, I was able to understand the process fully which made me feel safe. As someone who is a big planner/organizer, they really helped me take care of all the small details I was worried about. Every time I had a random question, I could ask it at any time of day and get an answer very quickly, and even be provided more information.

Everyone that has been involved in…

Everyone that has been involved in helping me plan my trip has been really efficient and helpful throughout the whole process. Always willing to answer questions and always willing to go through anything if I have misunderstood anything. Nichola, Asti & David have all been absolutely wonderful and I have nothing but high praise and would recommend them all.

Date of experience : 19 April 2024

It’s a complete scam!!!

Do not go through Global work and travel unless you want to waste thousands of pounds for absolutely nothing! everything they promise you is absolute rubbish, you don’t get secure jobs and if you do it takes the mick as the work environment is toxic and a complete waste of your time! the hostel they set me up in was horrible conditions and the people i met agreed on this. they promise you trips that don’t happen and after all of this you still have to pay for your flights, visas, accommodation, etc. there is no benefit in going through global work and travel especially if you’re young and first time travelling as you won’t get the support you are promised. i’m really disappointed in them as i spent so so much money to travel and have a good time and when i actually got there i was put in a horrible situation to fend for myself, which being 19 and never been so far away from home was such a scary situation. i will speak my experience on every platform i can possibly find as i don’t think this company should be able to scam as many as they did! I know for a fact i’m not alone in this situation as my very close friend went through the same situation except worse. Please Please Please do more research and look into all of this as it has truly scared me for in the future when i would like to travel else where. i am heartbroken as my dream was to travel and they have completely destroyed and ruined that for me. They are a massive scam and will take so much away from you. I reached out to them regarding my experience and instead of supporting me, they were quite frankly rude and disrespectful by arguing with me and calling me names. I and everyone else who i’ve spoken to that went through similar situations deserve better than this! I’m sorry to rant on and be like this as i’m not usually someone who will do this and never want to be the type to write negatively but it needed to be done so i can be seen, heard and prevent others for having to suffer the way i did Thank you.

Date of experience : 05 September 2023

Hi Poppy, We are sorry to hear you feel this way about your trip to Australia with us, it is definitely not what we like to hear at all! We want all of our customers to have a great experience & time on their trip. We would like to clarify some of your concerns for you.  Our trip has set inclusions which are outlined on our website. These inclusions were all available to you and to all of our customers. We would not legally be able to operate if we didn't offer these inclusions to our customers. We have had a look into your profile and your arrival and there does appear to be some confusion. Part of your trip includes a job match, which is an interview. We do not guarantee a job, as this is down to you to attend the interview & be successful. We can see you were successful with an interview pre arrival, however there were some issues with communication and you did not start at your role and decided to move to Sydney. We confirmed with you that we would be able to assist you with another job match. Flights, insurance, visas & ongoing accommodation are not included in our trip cost & we do make this really clear on our website. Our team would never call any of our customers names. We have checked correspondence and can't see anything in regards to name calling. Our team were here to support you, your Arrival Coordinator has been available to you if you needed anything & did check in with you as well but we have not heard back from you recently. Once again, we are sorry that you feel this way about your experience but we wish you all the best for your future travels. Thanks, Global Work & Travel

The people at Global were always helpful and would assist. Matilda was reaching out and finding out the best options that would suite the budget I could afford. Mark and Tia was a big help when I had questions about my trip too! Excited to go on my trip to Canada :)

Date of experience : 18 April 2024

The workers at Global Work and Travel…

The workers at Global Work and Travel are incredibly friendly, helpful, informative and are always open to questions, concerns and interests. They are quick to respond and take the stress out of handling travel.

Date of experience : 14 April 2024

Amazing help!

Working with Global Work & Travel has been an amazing and breezy process to get my trip abroad started! I feel so organised with help from my Travel Concierge, who has helped me with all I needed to do to get my trip details sorted. The communication and assistance throughout these past few months has eased any of my worries. I thank all those who helped me plan this trip.

Date of experience : 07 April 2024

Rebecca made this process super easy…

Rebecca made this process super easy checking in at every stage with an answer to all my questions and queries and so much in for to help out. Thanks heaps

Date of experience : 16 April 2024

It’s definitely worth it for all the help and guidance that you receive

Matilda, my travel concierge helped me through the entire process of booking flights, travel insurance etc and was very helpful + gave me heaps of advice. She was very quick with replying to my emails and was always happy to call if I needed extra help with anything.

Date of experience : 05 April 2024

Had to cancel bank card. Massive scam

Honestly a terrible company to work with. You will loose your money if you no longer are interested in your travel. They do not refund any money even if you cancel (please read the terms and conditions they have). I’ve had to cancel my bank card just to get away from them stealing all my money. Don’t risk it I’d rather sort a working holiday out on my own.

Date of experience : 02 April 2024

Hi Oliver, We are sorry to hear that you feel this way about us. It is important to note, we are absolutely not a scam. We have been running successfully for 16 years now. We have outlined in our Terms & Conditions very clearly your options should you need to cancel your trip. You must read our Terms & Conditions and agree to them before registering for our trip, they are also found on our website, so easily available for all customers. There would be no need to cancel your bank card. We never charge our customers without their explicit authorisation beforehand. Your security and trust are paramount to us, and we're committed to ensuring that your financial information is handled with the utmost care. If you need to discuss further, please feel free to reach out to our team! Global Work & Travel

Fast, efficient, easy

Could not have been easier to book this trip. Global Work and Travel staff were constantly checking in, keeping me updated and ensuring everything was done smoothly. The easiest way to make the move and I am so excited to catch my flight.

Very helpful

Very helpful, Great communication and was an easy experience thanks to their help

Date of experience : 26 April 2024

I have always wanted to go to Australia

I have always wanted to go to Australia. After a bit of researching and I found Global Work and travel. After showing my interest I had my phone call with Edwina who was very helpful through the whole process in me getting to my destination. I am now only a few months away from a trip of a life time and I couldn't be more thankful.

Date of experience : 28 March 2024

Super helpful & stress free!

I’ve had such a smooth sailing experience with Rebecca as my Travel Concierge! She was super helpful the whole way through, answering all my questions and I’m very grateful to have everything for my trip sorted stress free with her help!

Matilda is amazing!

Matilda is amazing!, she is super kind and very helpful when it come to planning my insurance and flight details.

Date of experience : 09 April 2024

dedicated Travel Concierge

Having a dedicated Travel Concierge! Has been good, specially been my first time going to through global work and travel. Matilda has been very good at explaining everything and making everything seem so simple and easy to understand.

Date of experience : 11 March 2024

John my travel agent experience

John my travel agent made experience booking/paying experience incredible! He was so kind and patient and honestly so easy to talk to. He understood my needs and made sure they were met. I'm not the easiest of customers so it really does make a difference when someone understands that and works around YOU. He was really lovely and easy going and I'd honestly recommend anyone booking on to ask for John he's just insane !!

Date of experience : 27 February 2024

Work & Travel

Travel. Work. LIVE!

Do you have a thirst for adventure? Do you want to earn some money while travelling?

Why not combine the two and take part in our exciting Work + Travel Abroad Programs? Get to know the locals, make new friends around the world and explore as many popular or off the beaten track places as you can!

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Immerse yourself in another culture, global work experience, endless possibilities, where do you want to go.

Enjoy the travel adventure of a lifetime, and spice up your resume, while immersing yourself in a foreign culture.

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Już ponad 170 tysięcy polskich studentów skorzystało z możliwości legalnej pracy w USA, jaką stwarza program Work and Travel . Dołącz do nich!

Dzięki strategicznemu partnerstwu z amerykańskimi organizacjami przygotowaliśmy na ten sezon nieprzyzwoitą wręcz ofertę , która sprawia, że program ten stał się jeszcze bardziej dostępny

Summer Work/Travel Exchange Visitor Program w USA, popularnie zwany Work & Travel, jest oficjalnym programem Rządu Stanów Zjednoczonych. Umożliwia on międzynarodowym studentom wyjazd i podjęcie legalnej pracy w USA w okresie wakacji przez okres do 4 miesięcy i podróżowanie przez 30 dni po terytorium Stanów po zakończeniu programu.

Jego głównym celem jest możliwość wymiany kulturowej między młodymi ludźmi z różnych krajów świata, a także doświadczenie amerykańskiego stylu życia, warunków pracy, poznania amerykańskiej kultury i obyczajów.

Program organizują i realizują amerykańskie agencje zwane Sponsorami, które posiadają specjalną licencję Departamentu Stanu do jego prowadzenia.

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Physics > Physics and Society

Title: astronomy's climate emissions: global travel to scientific meetings in 2019.

Abstract: Travel to academic conferences -- where international flights are the norm -- is responsible for a sizeable fraction of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with academic work. In order to provide a benchmark for comparison with other fields, as well as for future reduction strategies and assessments, we estimate the CO2-equivalent emissions for conference travel in the field of astronomy for the prepandemic year 2019. The GHG emission of the international astronomical community's 362 conferences and schools in 2019 amounted to 42,500 tCO2e, assuming a radiative-forcing index factor of 1.95 for air travel. This equates to an average of 1.0 $\pm$ 0.6 tCO2e per participant per meeting. The total travel distance adds up to roughly 1.5 Astronomical Units, that is, 1.5 times the distance between the Earth and the Sun. We present scenarios for the reduction of this value, for instance with virtual conferencing or hub models, while still prioritizing the benefits conferences bring to the scientific community.

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arXivLabs is a framework that allows collaborators to develop and share new arXiv features directly on our website.

Both individuals and organizations that work with arXivLabs have embraced and accepted our values of openness, community, excellence, and user data privacy. arXiv is committed to these values and only works with partners that adhere to them.

Have an idea for a project that will add value for arXiv's community? Learn more about arXivLabs .

Labour Day Travel Trends 2024: Where are workers escaping to for a break?

As Labour Day approaches, the global workforce eagerly anticipates a well-deserved respite from the daily grind, seeking solace and excitement in a variety of destinations across the globe. Celebrated as May Day in many regions, this holiday offers a precious opportunity for workers to unwind and explore, with some enjoying an extended break spanning several days.

According to Trip.com Group’s latest data, Asia is the hottest travel destination during this period among travellers worldwide, with cities such as Tokyo, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Seoul and Taipei leading the pack in holiday momentum.

China,  one of the biggest travel markets during the Labour Day holiday unfolding from May 1st to 5th, also saw a rise in outbound travel bookings. Chinese travellers set their sights on overseas destinations such as Japan and Korea, fuelled by the photo-worthy cherry blossom season which persists in areas such as Hokkaido in May. China’s domestic tourism also saw a boom with majestic sites such as the “Avatar” mountains of Zhang Jia Jie and Dajue Mountain set to draw crowds.

In Southeast Asia,  island paradises like Hon Thom Island in Vietnam, Similan Island in Thailand and Mabul Island in Malaysia beckoned travellers with their pristine beaches and crystal-clear waters. Adventure tourism also saw a rise in bookings. Travellers were keen to explore beautiful ruins and waterfalls in Laos such as the Vat Phou temple and Kuang Si waterfall, or active volcanos in Indonesia like Mount Bromo. Singapore, meanwhile, saw travellers heading for exhilarating experiences such as the amphibious DUKW TM  Tours and thrilling Skyline Luge.

Japan  was also another key region which saw a remarkable rise in travel bookings, with the early May period coinciding with its Golden Week holiday from April 29th to May 5th.

Golden Week  marks one of the nation’s most significant holidays, and globetrotters took advantage of the break to visit destinations such as Korea, Japan and Thailand. Domestic travellers were found making a beeline for Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka, with attractions in nature gaining favour: Mother Farm, a charming ranch destination, and Huis Ten Bosch, a Dutch village town with a sea of flowers, were among the top booked attractions.

As for  Korea,  Seogwipo city and Udo island in Jeju were favourites among travellers, who also visited conventionally popular cities such as Seoul and Busan. They were found enjoying the sunset from beach train rides, or opting for experiential shows such as kitchen performance art and even ladies-only shows.

In Europe,  Germany and Italy stood out with a triple-fold increase in travellers compared to the same period in the previous year. Historic castles, palaces and cathedrals were a favourite: Neuschwanst Castle, Nymphenburg Palace,  Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower and Milan Cathedral were among the top-ranked attractions.

Labour Day holiday: A time for culture, family fun and hidden gems

Labour Day also saw a diverse array of travel trends emerging, reflecting the evolving preferences of holidaymakers worldwide.

Cultural and historical tourism took centre stage as travellers favoured iconic landmarks such as the Winter Palace in Saint Petersberg, the Louvre Museum in Paris, and the Acropolis of Athens, immersing themselves in the rich history, architecture, and heritage of these revered destinations.

For families and thrill-seekers alike, theme parks and entertainment hubs emerged as hotspots for holiday fun, with Universal Studios Singapore, Tokyo DisneySea, and Disneyland Paris captivating visitors with a mix of rides, shows, and immersive experiences.

Unique destinations like Giethoorn, a fairytale village in the Netherlands, and the Chocolate Hills in the Philippines, also rose in popularity, offering travellers off-the-beaten-path experiences and picturesque landscapes that promise to leave a lasting impression.

There’s a collective recognition that after months of hard work, Labour Day presents a well-deserved opportunity for workers to unwind and recharge. And what better way to rejuvenate the mind, body, and soul than through the transformative power of travel?

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We can also organize a real life or digital event for you and find thought leader speakers as well as industry leaders, who could be your potential partners, to join the event. We also run some awards programmes which give you an opportunity to be recognized for your achievements during the year and you can join this as a participant or a sponsor.

Let us help you drive your business forward with a good partnership!

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Local elections live: 'Devastated' Tory candidate Andy Street refuses to blame Rishi Sunak after shock West Midlands defeat

Labour pulls off a stunning victory in the West Midlands mayoral election, with Tory incumbent Andy Street losing by just 1,508 votes.

Sunday 5 May 2024 00:22, UK

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• Labour wins West Midlands mayoral election
• 'Devastated' Street refuses to blame Sunak for loss
• Tory MP says 'awful' results should be 'massive wake-up call' in WhatsApps leaked to Sky News
• Khan heckled by losing candidate as he's declared winner of London mayoral election
• Darren McCaffrey:  London loss asks bigger questions of the Conservatives
• Andy Burnham re-elected as Greater Manchester mayor
• Lib Dems win more council seats than Tories in England
• Sam Coates:  Tory MPs sad but not mutinous
• Vote 2024:   Council results in full  |  Mayoral results in full
• Live reporting by Charlotte Chelsom-Pill and (earlier)  Ben Bloch

Thanks for joining us for another extremely busy day of local election news. You can join us tomorrow morning for a special election episode of Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips.

Until then, here are today's headlines:

• Tory incumbent Andy Street has suffered a shock loss to Labour in the West Midlands mayoral race in a major blow to the prime minister;
• Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has heralded the win as a "significant piece of political history";
• Sadiq Khan has won a historic third term as London mayor;
• Andy Burnham was re-elected as Greater Manchester mayor for a third term with more than 60% of the vote;
• Labour also won mayoral races in West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region and Salford ;
• The results mean Labour has won all but one of the mayoral races they were contesting, losing Tees Valley to the Tory incumbent;
• The Conservatives have lost 473 seats and control of 12 councils;
• Labour has gained eight councils and 185 seats;
• The results mean the  Liberal Democrats  have won more council seats than the Conservatives;
• The  Green Party  has netted an extra 74 seats, making serious gains in places like Bristol.

Richard Parker has pulled off a surprise victory in the West Midlands mayoral election.

The Labour candidate unseated Andy Street, winning by just 1,508 votes, to end the Tory's seven-year term.

Here's what you need to know about the relatively unknown politician.

Originally from Bristol, Mr Parker's father was a dock worker and his mother a school secretary.

He left school aged 16 and went straight to work at a local port authority before getting an economics degree.

Mr Parker went to work for PwC in 1989, where he gained his accountancy qualifications and went on to become a partner, managing the accountancy firm's relationship with the Labour Party.

Mr Parker also worked with council leaders to set up the West Midlands Combined Authority in 2016 before leaving to set up his own company RP Strategy.

Read more here:

By Andy Hayes, news reporter

Tory incumbent Andy Street has suffered a shock defeat to Labour in the West Midlands mayoral election after a partial recount was ordered.

Labour's Richard Parker beat Mr Street by just 1,508 votes - 0.25% - to deliver a major blow to Rishi Sunak in the key electoral battleground after a hammering in the local elections.

With the race neck-and-neck, in the end it came down to the results in one borough - Labour-supporting Sandwell.

"This is the most important thing I will ever do," Mr Parker said in his acceptance speech.

"I promise you that I will deliver jobs," he added.

He told Sky News he would take buses "back into public control" and deliver the "largest programme of social housing we've had in this region for more than 40 years".

And he thanked his predecessor, who he said had "led this region through a number of great challenges and you deserve great credit for that".

Labour's win in the West Midlands has left Rishi Sunak with "just one man standing", Sky's  political editor Beth Rigby  says. 

The Conservatives have now lost all of the mayoral races in this election, with the exception of Tees Valley. 

Beth says one senior Labour figure has told her the West Midlands was the Tory scalp Labour really wanted - and were pulling resources from Tees Valley to make it happen.

"They were really fighting hard to take this Tory jewel from the crown," she says.

The "energy and the euphoria was palpable" within the Labour camp after victory was declared, Beth says .

"They were so wired, excited, euphoric about this win because for them it is huge."

She says you could feel among the Labour activists, and Sir Keir Starmer himself, that they are beginning to feel "they can really do this" in the general election.

Symbolically they can say "we took your crown jewel in the West Midlands and we are coming for those seats".

"It gives Starmer momentum and it will leave the Conservatives hugely deflated," she adds.

Labour's new mayor for the West Midlands Richard Parker tells Sky News he plans to "work really closely with a future Labour government".

"I think that's the best way for us to work together for the wider benefit of this region," he says.

Mr Parker defeated Tory incumbent Andy Street in a major blow to the Conservatives.

Labour's election success is a "vindication of the hard work that we've done to change the Labour Party," Sir Keir Starmer says.

He heralds the "phenomenal result" in the West Midlands, which saw Labour's Richard Parker defeat the Tory incumbent. 

But he says Labour is now stepping up again towards the general election "so that we can serve the working people once again as a new and changed party".

He is asked about the extent to which Labour's stance on the Gaza war has cost the party votes.

"Where we have not been able to persuade people who might otherwise have voted for Labour, it is important to acknowledge that - to say I have heard, I've listened and I am determined to meet the concerns they have and win back their trust and confidence."

"But nothing takes away from the significance of this victory here in the West Midlands," he says.

Labour's Richard Parker is appearing alongside Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer after winning the West Midlands mayoral race. 

"It's time for a fresh start ... we start on Monday," Mr Parker says to a loud applause.

Speaking next, Sir Keir declares: "What a way to end the local elections in 2024". 

"This is a significant piece of political history that we have made here today," he says.

Defeated Conservative mayor Andy Street tells Sky News he would advise against his party drifting to the right, saying his brand of "tolerant conservatism" has come "within an ace of beating the Labour Party".

"The thing everyone should take from Birmingham in the West Midlands tonight is this brand of moderate, inclusive, tolerant conservatism that gets on and delivered has come within an ace of beating the Labour Party in, what they considered to be their backyard," he says. 

"That's the message from here tonight."

Asked if he is worried the Conservative party is drifting to the right and over-emphasising the threat from Reform UK while "ignoring other voters", he said: "I would definitely not advise that drift.

"The psychology here is really very straight forward isn't it: this is the youngest, most diverse, one of the most urban places in Britain and we've done, many would say, extremely well over a consistent period.

"The message is clear: winning from that centre ground is what happens."

Mr Street lost to Labour's Richard Parker in the West Midlands mayoral race by a margin of 1,508 votes.

Defeated Conservative mayor Andy Street tells Sky News he is "hugely disappointed" and "devastated", but "incredibly proud" to lose by a small margin of votes in a region of millions, "given the situation the party finds itself in".

"Given that this has always been a place where some people said you should never have won in the first place, I'm actually very, very proud of what we've done," he says.

"I genuinely believed we were making real progress across the region on so many pieces.

"And for that to be closed off, that is disappointing in the extreme."

But he says "we did not persuade enough people that our record was as good as I believed it was, or that our plans for the future were exciting enough".

Asked if it was the national Conservative Party picture that led to his defeat, he said: "It was my campaign totally".

"I am not going to try to push responsibility anywhere else ... they'll be no sloping shoulders from me".

Defeated Conservative mayor Andy Street has said he is sorry he "couldn't make it the hat-trick" after losing to Labour's Richard Parker in the West Midlands mayoral race. 

In a short speech, Mr Street said it had been his "honour" to serve as mayor for the last seven years, telling his team "you will be back".

He says he hopes he has led with "dignity and integrity" and has "bequeathed to Richard a combined authority and indeed a role to which young aspiring leaders will want to aspire one day".

"In a sense, I can have done no more than that," he said.

Mr Street thanked his fellow candidates, including Mr Parker, for a "very courteous campaign", wishing Mr Parker "all strength and wisdom as he takes on this role".

"Thank you and goodnight," he concluded.

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