News / Politics
Lib Dems launch mayoral campaign with bid to scrap mayor
Pledge forms had been placed on every seat in a small upstairs room in We The Curious. Standing in elections does not come cheap, even if your central pledge is scrapping the very position that you are running for.
Launching her mayoral campaign, Lib Dem candidate Mary Page said that her three main promises were to “scrap the mayor, clean the air and fix the buses”.
In the first Bristol mayoral election in 2012, Lib Dem candidate Jon Rogers finished fourth with 6.96 per cent first round votes. In 2016, Kay Barnard was fifth with 5.8 per cent of votes.
is needed now More than ever
Page, a public relations, government affairs and communications specialist, admitted that she had previously “got excited” with the idea of a mayoral system,
But she said: “I think we have grown up now and it’s time to end this hero, history – that’s his-story – and get rid of prince charming.”
She said that current mayor Marvin Rees is looking likely to lose power “because of centralised decision making and his obsession with erecting tall buildings in places we don’t need them”.
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In a speech that quoted Greta Thunberg, Albert Einstein and Lisa Simpson, Page proposed a rainbow cabinet, as Bristol’s first elected mayor George Ferguson had, and which Rees briefly had before sacking the remaining non-Labour members of his cabinet in 2017.
“We want to disperse power, foster diversity and nurture creativity, and that’s something we can do here in Bristol,” said Page, in front of an audience of Lib Dem members including acting co-party leaders Ed Davey and Mark Pack.
From left to right: former Lib Dem MEP Caroline Voaden, Bristol Lib Dem leader Gary Hopkins, mayoral candidate Mary Page, acting co-leader Ed Davey and acting co-leader Mark Pack – photo by Martin Booth
Page said: “We now need leaders who will tell the truth. Because to be honest, I would much rather be out there in my kayak picking up litter in the harbourside than in here pontificating at the podium.”
She added: “If you want a mayor that shows true leadership, and that really wants to get things done by actions not words, then pick me…
“Will you turn to a new Page and scrap this mayor?”
Main photo and video by Martin Booth
Read more: Marvin Rees’ key campaign pledges 2020
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