The man who could be mayor
Candidate now favourite for job
FORMER Erdington MP Siôn Simon is now odds-on favourite to become the West Midlands first directly elected mayor after securing the nomination of Labour Party members.
Mr Simon, a West Midlands MEP, won the support of 71 per cent of Labour Party members in his headto-head contest with former city councillor Steve Bedser.
Labour is the first mainstream party to select its candidate ahead of the election on May 4, 2017.
His candidacy was confirmed on the same day that Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham was installed as Labour mayoral candidate in Greater Manchester.
The metro mayor will oversee the new West Midlands Combined Authority and be responsible for strategic housing, transport, skills and economic policy across Birmingham, Solihull, the Black Country and Coventry.
Mr Simon said: “The election is a vital opportunity amid Tory austerity and Brexit chaos to bring real Labour government to the West Midlands.
“We can do a better job of running our own region ourselves than the Tories ever have of running it from London.”
He added: “We need a West Midlands voice in the Brexit discussions. Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the City of London can’t be the only ‘special interests’ at the table.
“The West Midlands is a £110 billion economy and it’s one that Whitehall doesn’t understand.
“We need our case to be heard and our interests accounted for.”
A total of 3,817 Labour Party members voted, with 2,718 backing Mr Simon and 1,099 votes for Mr Bedser.
Mr Bedser thanked his supporters and added: “My congratulations to Siôn. He can count on my full support in next May’s election.” Mr Simon has already outlined a detailed policy platform including a one-year freeze on all bus, rail and metro fares as well as subsidised charges for job seekers. He has also promised 24-hour, seven-day running on key bus routes to help shift workers and to use his transport investment to cut congestion on the roads and improve journey times across the region.
But there was also anger from city Labour MP Jess Phillips as it was revealed Labour’s mayoral nominations for Liverpool and Manchester were also men.
Speaking on Twitter, Ms Phillips said: “All the mayors can go on an actual man date now. We can serve the tea.”
In response to one critic who asked which of the male candidates should not have been chosen, she said: “Make space for a woman!! We are not furniture.”
The West Midlands is a £110 billion economy and it’s one that Whitehall doesn’t understand Siôn Simon