Bad news for those Labour MPs seeking to ditch their electorate resign to contest elections to become Police Commissioners or City Mayors after pledging to work hard for their constituents over the life of the parliament only two years ago. The rumour mill suggests that the Labour Party want to avoid a series of expensive and potentially embarrassing by-elections and is therefore considering preventing them defecting to these more lucrative positions new posts.
Bad news indeed for front runners seeking to become Birmingham’s first elected Mayor. Gisela Stuart and Liam Byrne have publicly declared their intention to contest the position, as well as former MP Sion Simon who stood down at the last election stating his intention to go for Mayor, all three completely ignoring the fact that the good folk of Birmingham haven’t yet had a say in whether there should even be a Mayor.
Of course, if Stuart and Byrne are booted off the shortlist, that leaves the slightly eccentric Simon as the frontrunner, much to the horror of many Labour activists who remember this, for example:
It also opens up an interesting situation if another independent (local leftish popular historian Carl Chinn has been muted, although he declines to publicly commit himself) decides to throw their hat in the ring. A Simon candidacy could be vulnerable to voters moving to someone like Chinn… but the other danger of the Labour vote being split would be the opportunity that presented to a Tory candidate, particularly if they can attract Lib Dem second preferences.
The real hope is that the people of Birmingham kick out the whole ego tripping vanity project on May 3rd, of course.
Agree with your last para, Bob.
“Further mocking the democratic process, the government have refused even to announce what the mayor’s full powers and policy remit will be until after any mayoral referendum has taken place! So Birmingham’s electorate are being asked to make an informed decision about an office whose scope and powers have yet to be determined!”
http://www.thebirminghampress.com/2012/04/10/why-the-mayoral-referendum-matters/
Great article by Steve, Andy. The real shame in the ‘No to a Mayor’ campaign have failed to articulate these arguments and everyone is being swept along by the cosy ‘Yes’ consensus as if it were an accepted wisdom.
Indeed, Bob. The ‘NO’ camp have been decidedly silent. The Birmingham Press is aiming to give voice to concerns which seem not to be being aired very vociferously elsewhere. A worrying time for local democracy.