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| Cities vote against having elected mayors | Cities vote against having elected mayors |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| David Cameron's hopes of most major cities having an elected mayor seem to have been dashed. | David Cameron's hopes of most major cities having an elected mayor seem to have been dashed. |
| Voters in Manchester, Nottingham, Bradford and Coventry rejected the idea, with the results from six other city referendums still to come. | |
| The prime minister has been trying to extend the elected mayoral system introduced by Tony Blair and has said he wants a "Boris in every city", using the London mayor, Boris Johnson, as an example to be followed. He claimed last month it was a "once in a generation" chance to change the way England was run. | The prime minister has been trying to extend the elected mayoral system introduced by Tony Blair and has said he wants a "Boris in every city", using the London mayor, Boris Johnson, as an example to be followed. He claimed last month it was a "once in a generation" chance to change the way England was run. |
| But the results announced so far from Thursday's vote revealed little enthusiasm for the idea in an embarrassing rebuff for Cameron. | But the results announced so far from Thursday's vote revealed little enthusiasm for the idea in an embarrassing rebuff for Cameron. |
| Critics argued elected mayors were unnecessary and would add another expensive layer of bureaucracy, while supporters have complained that the votes took place without any clear indication of the powers such mayors could have. | Critics argued elected mayors were unnecessary and would add another expensive layer of bureaucracy, while supporters have complained that the votes took place without any clear indication of the powers such mayors could have. |
| Stuart Drummond, the directly elected mayor of Hartlepool, blamed coalition government divisions for the failure. | Stuart Drummond, the directly elected mayor of Hartlepool, blamed coalition government divisions for the failure. |
| "I think the government have approached this in a completely haphazard, half-hearted way," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. | "I think the government have approached this in a completely haphazard, half-hearted way," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. |
| "If they really did think this was the best way forward then surely they would have imposed it on places rather than leave it to chance," said Drummond, who is now in his third term as mayor, having been first elected in 2002 when he campaigned in the H'Angus the Monkey suit which he wore as mascot for the local football club. | |
| "Because the Lib Dems have always been against the mayoral system, there has never been a true coalition policy for it and it just seems to be one of David Cameron's little hobby horses." | "Because the Lib Dems have always been against the mayoral system, there has never been a true coalition policy for it and it just seems to be one of David Cameron's little hobby horses." |
| Manchester voted against having an elected mayor by a margin of 53.2% to 46.8% and Nottingham by 57.5% to 42.5%. Both cities had a low turnout of 24%. | Manchester voted against having an elected mayor by a margin of 53.2% to 46.8% and Nottingham by 57.5% to 42.5%. Both cities had a low turnout of 24%. |
| In Coventry just 36.4% of voters backed the change and 63.6% opposed it. In Bradford the vote was 44.9% for and 55.1% against. | In Coventry just 36.4% of voters backed the change and 63.6% opposed it. In Bradford the vote was 44.9% for and 55.1% against. |
| Jon Collins, the Labour leader of Nottingham city council, said: "This was a referendum imposed on us by the coalition government which the majority of local people clearly did not agree with. I am pleased with this outcome because an elected mayor would have been expensive and unnecessary. | Jon Collins, the Labour leader of Nottingham city council, said: "This was a referendum imposed on us by the coalition government which the majority of local people clearly did not agree with. I am pleased with this outcome because an elected mayor would have been expensive and unnecessary. |
| "This outcome shows that local people recognise we have a system in Nottingham which is working well for them and the city." | "This outcome shows that local people recognise we have a system in Nottingham which is working well for them and the city." |
| The housing minister, Grant Shapps, defended the referendums, telling Sky News: "People should have the right to decide how they are governed in their local area … The whole point is to give people a say. No one is forcing mayors on anyone." | |
| The Labour MP for Birmingham Erdington, Jack Dromey, said the city's voters were likely to have rejected an elected mayor. "The straws in the wind are that it is likely to be a no vote, but we will see." | The Labour MP for Birmingham Erdington, Jack Dromey, said the city's voters were likely to have rejected an elected mayor. "The straws in the wind are that it is likely to be a no vote, but we will see." |
| Results from Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Newcastle upon Tyne, Sheffield and Wakefield were due to be announced later on Friday. | |
| A referendum has also been held in Doncaster on whether to keep its elected mayor. The present mayor, Peter Davies, is a member of the English Democrats party. |