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| Bristol mayoral election won by independent George Ferguson | Bristol mayoral election won by independent George Ferguson |
| (8 days later) | |
| An architect with a flair for entrepreneurship and a love of red trousers has won a surprise victory in the Bristol mayoral election. | An architect with a flair for entrepreneurship and a love of red trousers has won a surprise victory in the Bristol mayoral election. |
| The independent George Ferguson said his win showed that voters wanted a new way of doing things and vowed to work with people of all political persuasions to improve the city. | The independent George Ferguson said his win showed that voters wanted a new way of doing things and vowed to work with people of all political persuasions to improve the city. |
| Ferguson saw off the challenge of 14 candidates and left the favourite, Labour's Marvin Rees, trailing well behind in second place. | Ferguson saw off the challenge of 14 candidates and left the favourite, Labour's Marvin Rees, trailing well behind in second place. |
| The result is a blow for Labour. Its candidate, Rees, was a local man who came into politics through Operation Black Vote. If he had won he would have been the first directly-elected mayor of African-Caribbean descent in Europe. | The result is a blow for Labour. Its candidate, Rees, was a local man who came into politics through Operation Black Vote. If he had won he would have been the first directly-elected mayor of African-Caribbean descent in Europe. |
| Labour claims it lost out because the Tory and Liberal Democrat vote collapsed and supporters of the parties turned to an independent. Rees finished with a total of 31,259 votes to Ferguson's 37,353. | Labour claims it lost out because the Tory and Liberal Democrat vote collapsed and supporters of the parties turned to an independent. Rees finished with a total of 31,259 votes to Ferguson's 37,353. |
| It was also a disappointing result for the Liberal Democrats, who have 32 of the 70 councillors on the city council and have been running Bristol as a minority administration. Its candidate, retired GP Jon Rogers, trailed in fourth, a place behind Conservative Geoff Gollop. | It was also a disappointing result for the Liberal Democrats, who have 32 of the 70 councillors on the city council and have been running Bristol as a minority administration. Its candidate, retired GP Jon Rogers, trailed in fourth, a place behind Conservative Geoff Gollop. |
| There will be tough times ahead for 65-year-old Ferguson, who will replace the current Liberal Democrat council leader, Simon Cook, as the head of an authority with a turnover of £1bn year. | There will be tough times ahead for 65-year-old Ferguson, who will replace the current Liberal Democrat council leader, Simon Cook, as the head of an authority with a turnover of £1bn year. |
| His first job will be to form a cabinet of councillors from the mainstream parties, not all of whom may be keen to work under him. His aim is to create a "tight" cabinet using the best talents from the council regardless of political affinity. | His first job will be to form a cabinet of councillors from the mainstream parties, not all of whom may be keen to work under him. His aim is to create a "tight" cabinet using the best talents from the council regardless of political affinity. |
| In an emotional victory speech, Ferguson said people of all political parties – and those with no politics – had come forward to help him campaign. | In an emotional victory speech, Ferguson said people of all political parties – and those with no politics – had come forward to help him campaign. |
| He said: "I believe today we voted for a new way of doing things. I don't see this as a vote for me, I see it as a vote for Bristol." | He said: "I believe today we voted for a new way of doing things. I don't see this as a vote for me, I see it as a vote for Bristol." |
| Ferguson said he was honoured to be the people's servant, adding that everyone in the city was equal regardless of their colour, creed or origin, or whether they were "left or right", or from the north or south of the river. | Ferguson said he was honoured to be the people's servant, adding that everyone in the city was equal regardless of their colour, creed or origin, or whether they were "left or right", or from the north or south of the river. |
| He said he wanted Bristol to be recognised across the world. "I'm fed up with explaining that Bristol is somewhere near Bath," he said. | He said he wanted Bristol to be recognised across the world. "I'm fed up with explaining that Bristol is somewhere near Bath," he said. |
| Ferguson said he would take his oath of office at Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Temple Meads railway station and it would be one made by young men of Athens when they became citizens: "I shall not leave this city any less but rather greater than I found it." | Ferguson said he would take his oath of office at Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Temple Meads railway station and it would be one made by young men of Athens when they became citizens: "I shall not leave this city any less but rather greater than I found it." |
| Like most of the other candidates, Ferguson has vowed to improve transport, housing and job prospects. But he argued he would be able to be more daring than those wedded to mainstream parties. | Like most of the other candidates, Ferguson has vowed to improve transport, housing and job prospects. But he argued he would be able to be more daring than those wedded to mainstream parties. |
| He has said he would like to use Bristol as a "test bed" for ambitious policies such as putting in place tougher planning regimes that would keep supermarkets at bay. | He has said he would like to use Bristol as a "test bed" for ambitious policies such as putting in place tougher planning regimes that would keep supermarkets at bay. |
| Ferguson has said it was liberating not to have a party machine. He had around 300 supporters actively working for him during his campaign, which cost around £50,000. Around half was from donations; the other half was his own money. | Ferguson has said it was liberating not to have a party machine. He had around 300 supporters actively working for him during his campaign, which cost around £50,000. Around half was from donations; the other half was his own money. |
| The Liberal Democrat group will be meeting on Saturday to discuss where it goes next. Councillor Guy Poultney said he believed the result showed that voters were disillusioned with the main political parties. | The Liberal Democrat group will be meeting on Saturday to discuss where it goes next. Councillor Guy Poultney said he believed the result showed that voters were disillusioned with the main political parties. |
| Peter Abraham, the council's Conservative group leader, agreed that voters in Bristol – and possibly across the country – were dissatisfied with the mainstream parties. | Peter Abraham, the council's Conservative group leader, agreed that voters in Bristol – and possibly across the country – were dissatisfied with the mainstream parties. |
| He was glad that the result in Bristol was "clear-cut" and believed, despite the relatively poor turnout of 28%, it showed that the city was ready for a change of direction. Abraham said he would work with Ferguson. | He was glad that the result in Bristol was "clear-cut" and believed, despite the relatively poor turnout of 28%, it showed that the city was ready for a change of direction. Abraham said he would work with Ferguson. |
| "I will work with anyone who will deliver for Bristol," he said. | "I will work with anyone who will deliver for Bristol," he said. |
| The new mayor, who is to be paid £51,000 a year, will be in charge of the council's full range of services – from social care to waste collections. | The new mayor, who is to be paid £51,000 a year, will be in charge of the council's full range of services – from social care to waste collections. |
| Ferguson first came to the city in 1965 as a student at Bristol University. His best known architecture project is the Tobacco Factory, which houses a cafe, bistro, theatre space and apartments, one of which he lives in. | Ferguson first came to the city in 1965 as a student at Bristol University. His best known architecture project is the Tobacco Factory, which houses a cafe, bistro, theatre space and apartments, one of which he lives in. |
| He only has a limited time to make an impact. The next election will be in May 2016, meaning Ferguson has only three and a half years to prove the voters were right to believe he could do better than the main parties. | He only has a limited time to make an impact. The next election will be in May 2016, meaning Ferguson has only three and a half years to prove the voters were right to believe he could do better than the main parties. |
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