Bradley rejects claims of summer general election
BEN Bradley has rebuffed claims that he is predicting a summer general election after confirming that he will not immediately resign as an MP if he wins the East Midlands Mayor contest.
Mr Bradley, currently Conservative MP for Mansfield and Nottinghamshire County Council’s leader, would automatically cease to serve in the latter role if he won the East Midlands Mayor election on May 2.
Mr Bradley has previously said that being East Midlands Mayor would be his only job if he wins the election but in terms of when he would step down as MP, he says this would not be immediate.
Mr Bradley says this is something he has been “consistent” on throughout the campaign.
Yet the explanation at recent hustings events has prompted opposing parties to suggest that Mr Bradley is predicting Rishi Sunak will call a general election in the summer.
In an online interview, Mr Bradley said: “I don’t think it will be sensible to cause what would be a very expensive taxpayer-funded by-election by resigning on the day... Within a matter of weeks, you could count on your fingers probably, we’re going to have a general election called and I won’t stand in that election if that’s the case.”
This explanation was also given at a hustings event in Stapleford, after which the Broxtowe Labour group posted on X: “Ben Bradley states he won’t resign as an MP if elected as mayor in May because six weeks later it would likely be a July General Election. You heard it first here.”
There have been reports that, despite most expecting the next general election in October or November, Rishi Sunak could call a general election after May’s local elections.
But Mr Bradley says he is not expecting a summer general election and is instead arguing that, given the timescales involved and the Parliamentary summer recess, his successor would only be in the House of Commons for a matter of weeks before the next national vote.
The mayoral candidate said: “I have been very consistent ever since I was selected as a candidate that if I’m elected as mayor it will be my one and only job.
“I will step down from Nottinghamshire County Council immediately and announce that I will not be seeking reelection to Parliament.
“It would not be right or appropriate to resign and cause a July by-election, at a cost of half a million quid, just for Parliament to be dissolved six weeks later for a further General Election.
“I will immediately begin the process of stepping back from Parliament and I will step down in a managed way that protects taxpayers and Mansfield constituents. Being the Mayor will be my only job, my sole focus.”
HE SAYS HE HAS
BEEN ‘CONSISTENT’ ON DECISION TO NOT STEP
DOWN AS MP STRAIGHT AWAY IF ELECTED AS MAYOR IN MAY