Rotheram launches re-election bid
Steve Rotheram, incumbent metro mayor of Liverpool City Region and Labour’s candidate for May’s election, has published a manifesto with five key campaign promises.
In an online speech streamed this morning, Rotheram said that his manifesto would see “no one left behind”. His campaign’s key planks are:
- £150m Covid Recovery Fund to fund projects that will power our economic recovery and create new jobs for local workers.
- A Young Person’s Guarantee: a guaranteed job, training or apprenticeship opportunity for every school leaver out of work for more than six months.
- A London-style transport system: bringing together our buses, trains, ferries and cycling routes together – under local control – to provide a genuine alternative to the car, including contactless payments, daily fare caps and new Merseyrail stations.
- A Green Industrial Revolution: a plan to reach net-zero by 2040 or sooner, double the number of green jobs in the city region, and continue to develop the transformative Mersey Tidal project.
- A digitally connected city region: complete the installation of a comprehensive ultra-fast broadband network to all six areas of the city region and support programmes to tackle digital exclusion.
Opponents facing off against Roheram on 6 May will include Jade Marsden for the Conservatives and Gary Cargill for the Green Party. The candidates spoke of their ambitions in various key areas at Place North West’s recent mayoral debate event. David Newman will contest the position for the Liberal Democrats.
Rotheram said that achievements over the past four years include leading the city region’s response to Covid-19, “taking on Boris Johnson and the Government” to win more funding and support; securing more than £300m in extra funding for transport, skills and tackling homelessness since 2017; and public transport including the first new Merseyrail station in 20 years.
He also said that £48m has been committed to school and college projects.
Rotheram concluded: “As Metro Mayor my number one priority has always been to stand up for everyone, in every part, of our great city region.
“Throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, I’ve stood up for our region, taking on Boris Johnson and the Government to win more funding and support for our councils. I’ve also invested more than £40m to keep the local economy afloat and put together exciting plans to help the region recover.
“If I’m re-elected, I’ll deliver a £150m Covid recovery fund, double the number of green jobs in our region and work to build a London-style transport system with more local control. In this election we need to send a message to the Government that they need to support areas like ours as we rebuild from coronavirus.”
If he is making promises on key delivery points then he should be held to them. Liverpool City Council is unfortunately in an awful position after the recent review and a degree of accountability needs to be taken.
Like many politicians it is just too easy to make election pledges.
By concerned
I am sure he made the same election pledges in 2017, and still we await concrete evidence they are being acted upon.
By Old Hall Street
I think that Steve is right to insist on a Transport for Lpndon type of franchising arrangement for buses and trains but this must include Skelmersdale which in terms of commuting is both in Liverpool and Manchester despite being in West Lancashire..
By Bob Robinson
The Metro Mayor needs to flesh out his promises re the rail network, we need more than a few `new stations`, we also need lines and stations re-opening such as bringing Gateacre back onto the network and eventually the rest of the outer loop which is currently a cycle route, as this line passes 3 major hospitals at Broadgreen, Alder Hey and Aintree, and would be heavily used. Meanwhile he has been talking about re-using the Edge Hill tunnels for years now.
By Anonymous