MILLIONAIRE entrepreneur John Hemming has become Birmingham's first Liberal Democrat MP.
He romped home by 2,672 votes in what was his sixth attempt to become a city MP.
It was also the fourth time in a row he had challenged for the Yardley seat and said it was a triumph for both himself and the Liberal Democrats. He joked that he had saved his winning speech from 1992, 1997 and 2001 and was relieved he could finally use it.
He admitted he was not sure if his victory owed much to the decision of his Labour rival in the previous three elections, Estelle Morris, not to stand this time. "It is difficult to judge, but I have won by more than Estelle's majority last time so I would say not," he said.
Mr Hemming said he is the first Liberal Democrat and first Liberal MP in Birmingham since the 1930s. He claimed it shows dramatic progress by the party and predicted it would take greater strides in future.
