10 Questions: Marvin Rees – ‘I’m Bristol’s most transparent person’

For the return of the Bristol24/7 magazine, Marvin Rees agreed to answer ten questions submitted by our readers – with no topic off limits.

Rees has been mayor of Bristol since 2016. His second term of office comes to an end in May 2024, after which he has said he hopes to become MP for the newly created Bristol North East constituency.

In this far-reaching interview, the mayor talks about current issues such as new harbour charges, building tall and the Clean Air Zone; responds to accusations that he is unable to accept criticism; and says why he believes in God.

Rees is running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the Southmead Hospital Charity. Visit his fundraising page to donate.

1. You have recently been talking about how the docks have been left to decline so far that they now require drastic improvement and reinvestment. Who is to blame for this?

“You’re right. Most of Bristol’s ageing infrastructure was left to decline over the past century by previous administrations thanks to a combination of short-term planning here and central government demanding bidding wars between councils for project funding. It has also suffered from a lack of clear leadership, which wasn’t able to take decisions that might come at a short-term political cost for an administration but deliver medium to long-term benefits for Bristol.

“We’ve taken big decisions to invest in our city for the long term, including Redcliffe and Gaol Ferry bridges, and the Chocolate Path, and secured new funding like the £95m needed to unlock the regeneration of Temple Meads and Temple Quarter. This is one of Europe’s largest regeneration schemes, and will include 10,000 new homes and 22,000 new jobs. We’re delivering Bristol’s first new train station in almost a century at Portway, with work now started at Ashley Down. We’re pushing for St Anne’s and Ashton Gate too.

Building work at the new Ashley Down station started on Tuesday – image: Network Rail

“In terms of the Floating Harbour itself, not the regeneration around it, little has been done since it was built in 1809 – particularly since the closure of the docks to commercial shipping in 1975. Since the SS Great Britain was opened in 2005, the same is true really. In recent years, we’ve invested in repairing the sluices at Underfall Yard and made progress on the harbour walls themselves, which are a major reason for the council holding funds in reserve. And, actually, the harbour is operating at a loss of around £500,000 a year under the current model – which means half a million pounds being taken out of the pot for frontline council services each year to make up the shortfall. The new harbour fees and charges, following the first review in twenty years, can help once again make our docks a real asset for the whole city. Before these come in in April, there will be opportunities for harbour users to discuss plans for the harbour and have their say on improvements.

“We’re getting on top of the work in the background to correct the governance and financial sustainability of the docks, which will allow us to invest in improving facilities for current users and making it more accessible for the rest of our city to enjoy. For the long term, we have to keep the docks as a working harbour while modernising flood defences as a climate resilient city. That means installing new pontoons at Capricorn Quay and also building around the docks, including at Western Harbour. Down there, we’d have to spend tens of millions of pounds to maintain fly-over road network. Rather than spending all that money, we want to take the chance to regenerate the area, building homes, making the harbour more accessible, and installing flood defences.”

2. Why are you unable to accept criticism and scrutiny?

“I’m not. I’m comfortably the most scrutinised and transparent person in Bristol, compared to any other politician, MPs, councillors, the police commissioner, the metro mayor and the leaders of any of our other major institutions. I take monthly questions from councillors and members of the public. Our council has invited the LGA to conduct a number of peer reviews, as well as Ofsted inspections, the Bundred review, and two Voluntary Local Reviews on our progress delivering the Sustainable Development Goals.

“I think this question is borne of misunderstanding at best and misrepresentation at worst. It’s always important for politicians to challenge arguments which are based on false premises or politically-designed to create an image which has nothing to do with reality. There’s a real difference between genuine constructive debate and the point-scoring and headline-chasing which makes up far too much of our city’s discourse.

“The wider point is linked to classic tropes with origins in race and class. Take a step back and consider that my predecessor openly told residents to ‘f*** off’. Some other politicians in the city use hyperbolic and combative language in the chamber, others have sworn in campaign videos and at me and my colleagues on social media. They’re described by the press as ‘passionate’ or ‘spirited’. Meanwhile, as Europe’s first directly elected black, working class mayor, I’m accused of launching ‘broadsides’ when I push back as part of a debate. Some Green Party councillors even said they felt physically threatened by me asking the occasional question. Councillor Asher Craig, one of my deputy mayors, recently reflected on this as ‘being Karen-ed’, and it’s kind of hard to argue.”

“It’s maybe part of a narrative where I’m mis-characterised as ‘aggressive’ and ‘threatening’. With all that context in mind, can you imagine what would happen if I copied some of Bristol’s other politicians and started cussing people out in the street or online?”

Bristol’s cabinet is made solely of Labour councillors – photo: Labour Party

3. I am one of a number of people who fundamentally believe the position of mayor is beneficial, but who felt spooked into voting to abolish the position because of your tenure. What would you do differently if you had your time again? More collaborative? More transparent? A different approach to communication?

“I take from this question that your key concerns are that the mayoral position is not collaborative, transparent, or communicative. Something which I point out to people a lot, is that they rarely interact with politicians directly. Even with all the door-knocking in the world, and I do also get stopped in the street a lot, most people only interact with journalists’ interpretations of politicians. In Bristol, our media is often focused on outrage and conflict for clicks, so that filters how people see things.

“To take your premises in turn: Actually, we’ve been the most collaborative administration ever. Bristol One City is the most accessible approach to city leadership in Bristol’s history, bringing together hundreds of organisations, with billions of pounds of spend, to build and deliver on a shared, multi-decade plan for our city. I didn’t write that plan. It was written by city partners spanning the public and private sectors, civil society, unions, and faith groups. That unprecedented collaboration has been an award-winning success, and I hope it continues. When I came in, I offered a cross-party cabinet for the first year, 18 months, but nothing changed for the other parties. They were more comfortable in opposition, and there was only so long that I could hold out my hand while my fingers were being chewed, so that element failed.

“On transparency, I’d refer you to my previous answer. My office answers at least 1000 emails a month, we did Facebook Lives for years, press conferences, meet the mayor events around the city, monthly meetings with community development workers, and much more. All this visibility means accountability.

“And for communications, it’s simple. My record was clear from our first term delivering for Bristol. The judgement on my record was the 2021 election, and the city re-elected me. I had already said that I was standing down at the end of my second term, and the separate referendum question was about what comes afterwards from May 2024. The two should not be conflated.

“I think people reflecting soberly on our record in the round will see that we inherited a broken organisation and faced unprecedented challenges around Brexit, the pandemic, national austerity, divisive politics, and now the cost-of-living crisis and the cost of operating crisis. And through all that time we’ve had five prime ministers and even more local government secretaries, but our city has come through. And our administration has protected all of our libraries, children’s centres, and parks, as well as our Council Tax Reduction Scheme and Local Crisis Prevention Fund to keep supporting tens of thousands of people. We’ve fed children, tackled period poverty, and brought Channel 4 to Bristol. City Leap, where we’ve secured an initial £424m for clean energy – creating 1000 jobs and cutting 140,000 tonnes of emissions over the next five years – is a world first. And Bristol built 2,563 new homes last year, including the more new affordable homes than for any year in the last 12.

“Actually, the mayoral model has delivered. The campaign against it, which maybe spooked you, was led by people who couldn’t win a citywide mayoral election. I’m going to keep being honest with our city about the challenges we face and the leadership we need, like I was in my State of the City Address in October.”

4. You have often spoken about equality and inclusivity for all. How does that square with your describing those with differing views as ‘privileged’, ‘entitled’ and ‘disappointing’?

“Bristol is still a tale of two cities. Our city has had inequality for decades, centuries, and that was highlighted during the pandemic and again now during the national cost of living crisis. Where people who have wealth, privilege, and opportunity don’t recognise that others don’t, it means they are privileged and entitled. And that is disappointing. Single issue campaigners can often struggle with the same problem, missing the bigger picture. You can’t acknowledge inequality without also acknowledging that some people are privileged and, also, that some privileged people now seem to be trying to co-opt the stories and narratives of those who aren’t from their backgrounds. We’ve seen that recently in privately-educated politicians styling themselves as outsiders, as insurgents, and posh activists claiming to be rebels but without wanting to talk about their own inter-generational wealth.

“I don’t automatically describe those with differing views to me as ‘privileged’ and ‘entitled’ but it’s worth considering that ‘privileged’ and ‘entitled’ people might have differing views to me. One of the most important challenges in delivering a more equal and inclusive city and society, is ensuring that public life is not dominated by the views of the ‘privileged’ and ‘entitled’.”

Marvin Rees was born and brought up in Bristol by his mother, spending time in Lawrence Weston and Easton – photo: Marvin Rees

5. Where did the legal graffiti walls go? After hundreds of hours of volunteer work with officers, and repeated promises even after those volunteers had given up due to lack of progress, Bristol’s most famous artform is still illegal to practice.

“I’m not sure what you mean. Bristol, through Banksy and others, and Upfest (which sadly won’t be back until next year), is one of the capitals of Europe for legal street art and murals – if not the world.

“These spaces only exist when the property owners offer them up and give permission. We will continue to tackle tagging and other forms of graffiti and environmental crime, cleaning up the vandalism of the Troopers Hill chimney and making efforts to make places like the Bearpit and Turbo Island safer. Last year alone, the Big Tidy removed almost 1,500 tags.”

6. Why do you believe in God?

“I find it difficult not to.”

7. Why is Bristol such a disabled-unfriendly city for those of us who cannot walk far or cycle?

“The Old City was designed hundreds of years ago, built around rivers without consideration for disabled people. We’ve tried to make it a more inclusive space by pedestrianising it. We’ve also changed the waste collection arrangements, so there are no longer hundreds of massive commercial bins blocking the pavements. And, as we try to build a modern, sustainable transport system, including new train stations and the mass transit system we need, making that fully accessible is a real priority. I know that’s something that long-standing transport campaigner Dave Redgwell will welcome. Building inclusion into new construction is relatively easy, but I’m open about the challenges of fixing the Old City.”

“We want Bristol to be an inclusive city where nobody is left behind. As we continue to regenerate the city, there’s the opportunity to build in inclusivity for all in homes, public realm etc, mass transit.

“We set up the Bristol Disability Equality Commission (DEC) in 2021, in recognition of the inequalities faced by disabled people in our city. A new exhibition at M Shed highlights the history of disabled people campaigning for change, including former city councillor Ruth Pickersgill. DEC is chaired by Alun Davies, who previously chaired the Disability Committee of the Equalities & Human Rights Commission, working with expert commissioners. I would encourage you to reach out to Alun – general.bdec@gmail.com – or my office – mayor@bristol.gov.uk.

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Read more:

• Bristol underground would cost £18bn, secret report reveals
• Rees defends escalating costs of Bristol Beacon revamp
• Mayor likens Acorn council meeting disrupters to Capitol Hill insurrection

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8. When was the last time you went to Showcase Avonmeads and what did you watch?

“We’ve been there a lot over the years. I remember seeing Django Unchained there. While I confess that I can’t recall the most recent film that I saw there, I appreciate why a petition has been started for the iconic neon lights in the foyer to be retained. And, I confess that the last time I went, I embarrassed my wife by trying to exit through a locked door. The door won.

“And I do remember that Showcase Avonmemes on Twitter share our ambitions for the city, including on mass transit. Like I mentioned earlier, we’ve secured nearly £100m to unlock Temple Quarter. That includes St Philip’s Marsh and the Feeder, right on the doorstep of Showcase Avonmeads, so patrons of the cinema should definitely respond to our consultation before it closes on March 8.”

Showcase Avonmeads’ “iconic” neon foyer – photo: Martin Booth

9. What is your obsession with tall buildings about then?

“I’m obsessed with tackling the housing crisis, in the context of a climate and ecological emergency and entrenched social and economic inequalities.

“Our city is just 42 square miles. Our population grew by more than ten per cent in the decade to 2021, to 472,000, and is set to rise to 550,000 by the middle of this century. There are 19,000 people on our housing waiting list. More than 1000 households are living in temporary accommodation. Remember, this is a city where 15 per cent of our residents – some 70,000 people – live in areas that are among the ten per cent most deprived in England, including 19,000 children. And, actually, as our recent Quality of Life survey suggests, those deprivation statistics are probably an understatement due to the national cost of living crisis.

“You can either choose to tackle the housing crisis or not. If you choose not to, you’ve got to own the consequences (homelessness, overcrowding, soaring rents) and believe in your heart that they are a price worth paying for the benefits you might see in not building new homes. We’re proud to be building a better Bristol with new homes for people. I wish that more parties could say the same.

“In this context, we need to continue building in (on brownfield) and up (at higher density). Otherwise we risk being unable to minimise our sometime need to build out (onto land which has not previously been developed). Recently we have been disappointed that many councillors, and some other people already sitting comfortably in their own homes, have continued to oppose building new homes for Bristolians on brownfield sites including former car parks, former airfields, former shipyards, former schools and former depots. Too often the crucial question, ‘if not there, then where?’, goes unanswered by them. It’s one that’s barely asked by the media, but I hope it’s one that Bristol24/7 readers will consider. After all, every home that doesn’t go in a taller building, well-designed in the right location, needs another piece of land to go somewhere else. And that also means that the planet pays a higher price for the growing population.

“In 2021/22, Bristol built 2,563 new homes, exceeding our ambitious manifesto target. 474 were affordable – the most in any year since Labour was last in national government – and 90 per cent were on previously developed land. Another 3,500 new homes were being built as of April 1 2022.”

Castle Park View tower is now Bristol’s tallest building – photo: Martin Booth

10. Will you give me money for a new car please? I live inside the Clean Air Zone and my exemption ends soon for my current car. I earn over the magical figure of £27,000 which is apparently the point at which you can afford to drop thousands on a car quite easily and don’t need any help.

“We have a legal and moral duty to clean up our air. Although the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) was forced onto councils to implement, by national government, we have taken the time to make it as fair as possible.

“We successfully negotiated extended exemptions from national government (until the end of March) including for residents of the zone like you, hospital patients and visitors and Blue Badge holders. And we also secured the most support anywhere in the country (£42m). The £27,000 threshold is one which we had to push the government on too. It’s a lot higher than the £22,000 cap that was originally proposed.

“If you look back through the records, you will see the amount of criticism we received from all opposition parties and some campaigners as we pushed back on government, warning them that the CAZ was a blunt instrument and could have a negative impact on households, businesses, and hospitals. The minister at that time, Thérèse Coffey, just told me we had to get on with it.

“Don’t forget that many other parties called for us to start the CAZ before we had even secured all this support for Bristolians, or even to make the whole city a CAZ. That would have been a disaster. Some people got the headlines they wanted back then, but we got the support that Bristolians needed – even if maybe there was a short-term political price for me.

“Initial data suggests that around 80 per cent of drivers entering the CAZ are in compliant vehicles, so don’t have to pay to enter. Support is still available for people, and it’s worth visiting the website for more information. But it’s not just about buying a shiny, brand-new electric car. It can be as simple as upgrading a 2003 petrol car for a 2006 one or a diesel car from 2015 onwards. Many vehicles are available at local second-hand dealers and online. You can trade in vehicles, and sometimes get money back. I would recommend contacting our CAZ team – CazSupport@bristol.gov.uk – if you have any further questions.”

This is an unedited version of the article that originally appeared in Bristol24/7’s quarterly magazine

Bristol24/7’s spring 2023 magazine is being distributed to pick up free across our city

Green Party co-leader, Clifton Down councillor and MP candidate for Bristol West, Carla Denyer, will be next in the 10 Questions hot seat. To submit your questions, please email editor@bristol247.com with the subject line ’10 Questions’.

Main photo: Bristol City Council

Read next:

• Mayor heckled by boaters over harbour fee hike
• Rees: ‘We need to work together to make sure Bristol grows well’
• Marvin Rees to run to become MP for Bristol North East

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