Mayor Election 2016 / News
Labour on front foot as Mountstevens elected
Sue Mountstevens was re-elected as Avon & Somerset’s police and crime commissioner in a vote where Labour dominated in the Bristol area.
Mountstevens beat her Labour rival Kerry Barker after second preference votes were counted from across the region.
But Barker polled more than 45 per cent in Bristol, suggesting that Marvin Rees may have the edge over George Ferguson in the Bristol mayoral vote which will be counted and declared on Saturday.
Following the police commissioner results, Ferguson said the vote “points to a Labour mayor” for Bristol:
Yes @callumcollins #Bristol PCC vote points to @BristolLabour Mayor. All-out Council election right thing but big challenge for Independent!
— George Ferguson (@GeorgeFergusonx) May 6, 2016
Mountsevens picked up 118,547 votes in total, polling strongly in the more rural areas of Avon & Somerset. Barker took 100,565 of all votes cast, mostly due to a strong Labour vote in Bristol.
Bristol City Council said the turnout for the mayoral election was 45 per cent, compared to 28 per cent in 2012.
Turnout at some traditional Labour wards had almost trebled, while turnout also improved in traditional Conservative wards and those where Ferguson had strong support last time around.
John Langley, the former Ukip vice chairman – also known as pornstar Johnny Rockard – effectively conceded defeat in the mayoral election with this message on social media on Saturday morning:
#RT @Bristol #Bristol Huge thanks to all my #BristolMayor supporters. pic.twitter.com/np7iaWXT1Q
— 4 Bristol Mayor 2016 (@LangleyBristol) May 7, 2016
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Follow live coverage of the Bristol mayoral election count at b247.staging.proword.press from midday on Saturday.
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