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| Luciana Berger to stand for mayor of Liverpool city region | Luciana Berger to stand for mayor of Liverpool city region |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Luciana Berger, the shadow minister for mental health, has said she intends to run for mayor of the Liverpool city region, becoming the second Labour frontbencher this month to launch a bid for a northern English mayoralty. | Luciana Berger, the shadow minister for mental health, has said she intends to run for mayor of the Liverpool city region, becoming the second Labour frontbencher this month to launch a bid for a northern English mayoralty. |
| In a speech to Labour party members on Tuesday afternoon, Berger, who has been MP for Liverpool Wavertree since 2010, will say she has been “enormously flattered by the number of people who have approached me in recent weeks because they believe I am the right person for the job”. | In a speech to Labour party members on Tuesday afternoon, Berger, who has been MP for Liverpool Wavertree since 2010, will say she has been “enormously flattered by the number of people who have approached me in recent weeks because they believe I am the right person for the job”. |
| Related: Why is local government so blokey? | Related: Why is local government so blokey? |
| “I have been particularly inspired by so many of the local members in my Wavertree Labour party and by the voices of young Labour members right across the region,” she will say. | |
| “I have listened and after much thought and careful consideration, I have decided that I will stand to be Labour’s candidate for first metro mayor of the Liverpool city region. I am standing because I believe now is the moment when our region must choose the future.” | |
| Her announcement comes after the shadow home secretary, Andy Burnham, launched his bid to be Labour’s candidate for mayor of Greater Manchester, warning that Labour risked being eclipsed in the north of England if it failed to take devolution seriously. | Her announcement comes after the shadow home secretary, Andy Burnham, launched his bid to be Labour’s candidate for mayor of Greater Manchester, warning that Labour risked being eclipsed in the north of England if it failed to take devolution seriously. |
| The creation of elected mayors is the most controversial condition of a series of devolution agreements by George Osborne and a series of “metro” regions: Greater Manchester, the Liverpool and Sheffield city regions, the Tees Valley, the north-east, the West Midlands, and Greater Lincolnshire. | The creation of elected mayors is the most controversial condition of a series of devolution agreements by George Osborne and a series of “metro” regions: Greater Manchester, the Liverpool and Sheffield city regions, the Tees Valley, the north-east, the West Midlands, and Greater Lincolnshire. |
| The Liverpool city region covers five Merseyside councils – Liverpool, St Helens, Knowsley, Sefton and Wirral – and Halton in Cheshire. The area’s new mayor will oversee £900m of public services and make decisions in four key policy areas – economic development, transport, employment and skills, and planning for development. | The Liverpool city region covers five Merseyside councils – Liverpool, St Helens, Knowsley, Sefton and Wirral – and Halton in Cheshire. The area’s new mayor will oversee £900m of public services and make decisions in four key policy areas – economic development, transport, employment and skills, and planning for development. |
| Berger so far faces a battle with with Joe Anderson, who has been the city’s mayor since 2010, and Steve Rotheram, the MP for Walton, to secure the Labour nomination. Labour’s dominance of the city means that whoever wins the party’s nomination is likely to win the overall competition. | |
| Labour’s 10,000 members across Merseyside and Halton will vote for their preferred candidate later this year before mayoral elections in May 2017. | Labour’s 10,000 members across Merseyside and Halton will vote for their preferred candidate later this year before mayoral elections in May 2017. |
| Berger’s announcement will add to fears that Labour in Westminster could suffer a brain drain as ambitious MPs, unconvinced by the party’s ability to win back power in 2020, leave for more powerful devolved roles. | Berger’s announcement will add to fears that Labour in Westminster could suffer a brain drain as ambitious MPs, unconvinced by the party’s ability to win back power in 2020, leave for more powerful devolved roles. |
| London-born Berger was selected as Labour’s candidate for the Liverpool Wavertree seat from an all-woman shortlist before the 2010 general election. Members voted for her by a margin of about two to one, but her selection prompted criticism that she had been parachuted in by the Labour leadership. In the 2015 general election she increased her vote share by 16%, winning 69% of the vote. | London-born Berger was selected as Labour’s candidate for the Liverpool Wavertree seat from an all-woman shortlist before the 2010 general election. Members voted for her by a margin of about two to one, but her selection prompted criticism that she had been parachuted in by the Labour leadership. In the 2015 general election she increased her vote share by 16%, winning 69% of the vote. |