East Midlands Regional Mayor

[davieG]

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/tory-mp-andrew-bridgen-wants-4504756

 

 

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen wants to be first East Midlands Regional Mayor
The influential post could be created in a Government shake-up of councils

ByDan MartinPolitics Reporter
04:00, 11 SEP 2020UPDATED07:46, 11 SEP 2020

Andrew Bridgen says he would like to be the first elected mayor of the East Midlands.

The Tory North West Leicestershire MP has told LeicestershireLive he plans to stand for election for the post, which could be created as part of a major overhaul of local government in the region.

The Tory-led Leicestershire County Council has resurrected long-standing and controversial plans to abolish itself and the county’s seven district councils and replace them with a single new unitary authority.

The Conservative administration is working with neighbouring councils in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to get a regional devolution deal for the East Midlands which they say would create a combined authority under a new directly elected mayor who would potentially have control over strategic planning, transport and the emergency services.

They argue this would help bring in more Government funding to the area.

 

Mr Bridgen has thrown his hat into the ring for the position though he would likely face competition in an internal Conservative selection contest to find a candidate.

The Brexiteer MP, 55, said: “Should the post get created, I would certainly be interested.

“I would be a strong voice for the East Midlands.

“People often say if you cut me in half I would bleed East Midlands.

“I know the area well and I’m rooted in it.

“I led the “No to AV’ campaign in the East Midlands and the Brexit referendum campaign.

“I’m the MP for part of Leicestershire and I went to the University of Nottingham.

“I went to school in Derbyshire.

“I’d make sure the Government heard this region and people know I will stand up to them when it is needed.”

Asked if he thought he though he could win an election across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire, he said: “63 per cent of people wanted me in North West Leicestershire and it is a bellwether seat.

“What they think is a good barometer of what the region thinks.”

Mr Bridgen says if he were to be elected as East Midlands Mayor, he would not resign his seat in Parliament.

He said: "If Boris Johnson can be an MP and the Prime Minister then why can't a regional mayor be an MP too?

"Dan Jarvis (Labour mayor of Sheffield City Region) is an MP.

" Andy Burnham (the Labour mayor of Manchester) had his reasons for getting out of parliament.

"I'd stay on as North West Leicestershire MP, if the people want me come the next election."

The East Midlands has few elected mayors at the moment but one is Labour’s Sir Peter Soulsby in Leicester.

Sir Peter, who quit as Leicester South MP to become city mayor, said: “I'm not sure being the mayor of the East Midlands would be a part-time job.

"If Bridgen wants to go for it (the mayoral candidacy) he would have to win a selection process within his party, as would the Labour or any other candidate.

“I suppose if Donald Trump can be elected President of the United States then Andrew Bridgen has some chance of being elected East Midlands mayor.

“The two certainly share a few characteristics.”

Sir Peter added: "A move to unitary status would not be popular with some district councils but it looks like it is increasingly inescapable.

“We argued successfully for it in Leicester many, many, years.

“The debate is likely to be the shape it takes rather than whether there is a change.

“Fundamentally I don’t think it is something me or my party would oppose."

The county council will discuss making a case to the Government for a move to unitary status at a cabinet meeting next week

The Government’s White Paper on Devolution and Local Recovery is due to be published this autumn and will set out proposals for local government structural reform in England and the role which greater devolution will play in national recovery.

[Voll Blau]

1 minute ago, davieG said:

“People often say if you cut me in half I would bleed East Midlands."

 

Fingers crossed someone puts that theory to the test...

[Guest Lako42]

50 minutes ago, Voll Blau said:

 

Fingers crossed someone puts that theory to the test...

 

Indeed, AB is a backwards looking moron who is on the wrong side of history based on all of his voting. 

 

Horrible, career politician slime ball 

[Footballwipe]

Can't wait till someone actually properly scrutinises these flimsy plans from County about abolishing districts.

 

This is what you'll get. Populist, cartoon-like people in charge of whole areas who treat people with disdain. He's got so much respect for the position, so much love for the East Midlands he'll do it part time whilst retaining his ultra-safe parliamentary seat, salary and keep building up that pension.

 

Make no mistake, this would be nothing more than an ego trip and bank balance booster and nothing else.

[RoboFox]

Detestable fvcking creep. Thick as pig shit, too. How on earth he's managed to slither his way into being a serving MP absolutely boggles the mind.

[Guest Lako42]

1 minute ago, RoboFox said:

Detestable fvcking creep. Thick as pig shit, too. How on earth he's managed to slither his way into being a serving MP absolutely boggles the mind.

Because......the public

[Stadt]

Neil O’Brien is the sharpest county MP, Bridgen isn’t.

[Finnaldo]

13 minutes ago, Stadt said:

Neil O’Brien is the sharpest county MP, Bridgen isn’t.

Dr Luke Evans of Bosworth is in his first cycle as Tory MP, very early yet but he seems pretty switched on and much more connected to the constituents compared to his predecessor, but it was Snake Oil Tredinnick so that’s not saying much...

The County seems to have had a bit of a famine in recent years when it comes to decent MPs, Vaz’s successor seems an improvement insomuch that shes not corrupt (or at least, we haven’t heard of it yet). 

[Voll Blau]

1 hour ago, Finnaldo said:

Dr Luke Evans of Bosworth is in his first cycle as Tory MP, very early yet but he seems pretty switched on and much more connected to the constituents compared to his predecessor, but it was Snake Oil Tredinnick so that’s not saying much...

The County seems to have had a bit of a famine in recent years when it comes to decent MPs, Vaz’s successor seems an improvement insomuch that shes not corrupt (or at least, we haven’t heard of it yet). 

That's the problem in a county full of safe seats. It's a job for as long as they want it for most of them.

[Stadt]

1 hour ago, Finnaldo said:

Dr Luke Evans of Bosworth is in his first cycle as Tory MP, very early yet but he seems pretty switched on and much more connected to the constituents compared to his predecessor, but it was Snake Oil Tredinnick so that’s not saying much...

The County seems to have had a bit of a famine in recent years when it comes to decent MPs, Vaz’s successor seems an improvement insomuch that shes not corrupt (or at least, we haven’t heard of it yet). 

Webbe is massive moron, she’s not improvement on Vaz which is remarkable. Did you not see her telling somebody to “take your knee off my neck” in response to a completely benign tweet? 

[pleatout]

Yay, more politicians.  That's what we need.

[Finnaldo]

1 hour ago, Stadt said:

Webbe is massive moron, she’s not improvement on Vaz which is remarkable. Did you not see her telling somebody to “take your knee off my neck” in response to a completely benign tweet? 

 Yes I recall that, she’s certainly not the brightest on offer. What I meant is her only marked improvement over Vaz is not being blatantly corrupt, although it’s still early days.