FRESH interest in the flagging campaign for an elected Liverpool mayor has re-ignited debate about who could fill the post.
Earlier this week, the Government announced it will become easier to collect signatures for a referendum.
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears proposed allowing petitions to be signed online, instead of forcing campaigners to gather names on a sheet of paper.
The move – part of wide-ranging moves to introduce “petition power” to improve public services – is designed to increase the number of elected mayors in UK cities. There are currently just 13.
Ms Blears has also suggested reducing the number of signatures needed to spark a referendum from 5% of the electorate to 2%, 3%, or 4%.
In Liverpool, four names are often mentioned as candidates: council leader Warren Bradley; Labour opposition leader Joe Anderson; culture supremo Phil Redmond; and business lobbyist Frank McKenna.
A Conservative would almost certainly tip their hat in the ring – possibly businessman Tony Caldeira – as would a Green and independents.
And the man running the campaign for an elected mayor – Liam Fogarty – has not ruled out running either.
Neither Cllr Bradley nor Cllr Anderson are keen on the idea of an elected mayor.
Cllr Bradley said: “I think it’s undemocratic for one person to hold all the cards.”
He said he feared the potential for corruption was much greater than the current position, and would add another tier of bureaucracy.
However, if a successful referendum were held, he said he hoped the Liberal Democrats would consider him as their candidate.
Last night, Cllr Anderson said: “My view is that a mayor just for Liverpool would be too parochial, but a mayor for the city region would be beneficial.”
Mr McKenna, also former deputy leader of Lancashire County Council, said: “Yes, I would consider running, I have always said so.”
While Mr Redmond has kept his cards close to his chest on this subject, he is understood to harbour a passion for holding the post, and has enhanced his standing through his position of deputy chairman of Liverpool Culture Company.
Mr Fogarty said: “Who wouldn’t want to be Liverpool’s first directly-elected mayor? It’d be a fantastic job.
“I’m sure there would be some outstanding candidates, not all of them career politicians.
“But for now I’m only interested in giving people in the city a chance to decide how Liverpool should be led.”
Mr Caldeira said: “An elected mayor for Liverpool is a great idea.
“The Conservative Party, and Lord Heseltine in particular, are fully behind the concept.”
In nearly two years, the campaign has collected only around 11,000 of the 17,100 signatures it requires to force a vote – 5% of the voting public.
davidbartlett
