Former Labour MP Dan Norris becomes new West of England metro mayor
By Martin Booth, Saturday May 8, 2021
Dan Norris is the West of England’s new metro mayor, with the Bristol City fan beating Tory Samuel Williams into second place.
The former Labour MP, who lives in Pensford, will now preside over the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), which has secured more than £1.15bn of new funding for the region since its formation in 2017.
Norris was effusive in his praise for Labour leader Keir Starmer in his victory speech at the SS Great Britain.
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Conservative Samuel Williams forecast to win West of England metro mayor election
Expert statistician predicts other parties could end up with mutually assured destruction after tactical blunder
07:00, 7 MAY 2021
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The Conservatives are forecast to win the West of England metro mayor election because the other parties have failed to grasp the tactics needed under the quirky voting system, an expert has concluded.
He says the way residents cast their ballots under “supplementary voting” is ideally suited where the top two candidates are clear beforehand.
The current metro mayor is Conservative Tim Bowles, who is standing down at the end of his first term. The candidates vying for his position are Samuel Williams (Conservative), Dan Norris (Labour), Jerome Thomas (Green) and Stephen Williams (Lib Dem).
They will be answering questions posed by the public at an event hosted by Watershed and Bristol24/7 at 7pm on April 22 via YouTube.
The Conservative Samuel Williams was initially standing for Bristol mayor before eyeing the bigger prize of regional representative, Green Party candidate, Jerome Thomas, is currently a councillor for Clifton; while the Lib Dems’ Stephen Williams is also a former MP, who served Bristol West until 2015. Labour candidate Dan Norris is a former MP and was a Bristol councillor from 1989 to 1992.
By Jerome Thomas, Thursday Apr 15, 2021
The deaths of 72 people at Grenfell Tower in 2017 were avoidable.
The problem with the cladding installed at Grenfell was known across the world, long before its installation. In the UK there was strong pressure from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Fire Safety and fire industry representatives to act on that and associated risks.
In spite of that pressure, in 2014 the then minister Lib Dem Stephen Williams in the Conservative coalition government, said: “I have neither seen nor heard anything that suggests the consideration of these specific potential changes is urgent and I am not willing to disrupt the work of this department by asking that these matters are brought forward.”
Bristol24/7 to host WECA mayoral hustings in partnership with Watershed
By Lowie Trevena, Wednesday Apr 7, 2021
With less than 30 days before Bristol votes for a regional mayor, Bristol24/7 is pleased to announce more details for the first of two hustings that will be taking place in partnership with Watershed.
The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) mayoral hustings will be livestreamed via YouTube from 7pm on Thursday, April 22.
Four candidates are standing for the position of WECA mayor, replacing current Tory mayor Tim Bowles who is retiring at the end of his first term.
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