Rotheram is new Liverpool Labour bidder to rule Southport

Photo: Former Tory Communities Secretary Eric Pickles

Rotheram is new Liverpool Labour bidder to rule Southport

The Labour Party has ‘switched horses’ over their candidate to rule Southport from Liverpool. The election for a ‘City Region Mayor’ will take place next May, helping fulfil the vision of former Tory Communities Secretary Eric Pickles. It brings the prospects of Liverpool having a total of three mayors from next May: two highly-paid and one ceremonial.

Out goes lifelong Evertonian Joe Anderson, present Liverpool elected mayor who has been selling himself as the ‘continuity’ candidate and who visited Southport last week. In comes Liverpool fan and former bricklayer, Walton MP Steve Rotheram, a close ally and aid to left wing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Joe Anderson was closely-associated, along with with Tory local government tsar Eric Pickles, in the promotion and development of the ‘elected mayor idea’. Joe persuaded the Labour Party in this area to abandon its opposition to the idea. He was backed by the Bootle Labour Party and Sefton Council boss Ian Maher and other local council leaders. His candidacy was clouded, however, by the revelation that he had taken £20,000 from a local secondary school for dong nothing – and had then used tens of thousands of pounds more of public money on lawyer’s fees, trying to defend what he had done.

Good news for Evertonians, however, has been the victory of present Leigh MP Andy Burnham as Labour candidate to be the first elected mayor of Greater Manchester. His will be the difficult task of keeping the Greater Manchester city united!

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