News / Politics
Rees: ‘Let’s continue the change together’
Marvin Rees officially fired the starting gun for the 2020 mayoral elections as he gave his annual State of the City address.
In front of a packed Wills Memorial Building great hall on Wednesday evening, Rees laid out his achievements during his time in office as well as looking at what he would deliver if reelected.
He criticised his political opponents for wanting “to stay focussed on division” and also took a dig at the media for being “stuck with the clickbait of pointless point-scoring and 30 second soundbites of opposition”.
is needed now More than ever
…………………………………
Read the full text of Marvin Rees’ State of the City address 2019
…………………………………
The annual event was part of the Festival of the Future City, with city poet Vanessa Kisuule and Bristol’s two youth mayors preceding Rees at the lectern.
The mayor’s speech was briefly interrupted by protesters against Bristol Airport expansion, which Rees supports.
He reiterated his commitment to a mostly underground mass transit system as well as promising a new ‘circle line’ for buses which would connect Broadmead and Cabot Circus, to the centre, Redcliffe, Temple Meads, and Old Market every few minutes.
“Through traffic will bypass the city central areas completely” Rees said. “This will enable pedestrianisation of the Old City and the city centre.”
“When I was born my mum could hear “I was born under a wandering star” playing in the background from Lee Marvin’s film, Paint your Wagon. And in the film, he was a drunk with a red face. My face was really red… hence the name Marvin.”
Rees listed his achievements during his time in office so far around as well as setting priorities for the coming years which prioritise homes, transport, jobs and the environment.
He said: “As mayor it is my job to advance our city’s successes but it is the fullness of my role as a city leader to ensure we understand that our true greatness will be found in our collective commitment to making Bristol a city in which everyone can find hope in that success, irrespective of the circumstances of their birth.”
But he warned his political opponents that, in the words of Michelle Obama: “When they go low, we will go high.”
“Some people will want to throw the mud in this election, to get us in a back alley and confuse the issues,” the mayor said.
“We will stay focussed on the fact that we have delivered and built a new city leadership, restored the council’s financial credibility and will continue to focus on the issues that matter to people.”
Marvin Rees delivered the seventh annual State of the City address in the great hall of the University of Bristol’s Wills Memorial Building
All photos by Evan Dawson
Read more: ‘Series of errors’ led to £98,000 for former council chief executive
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
