Lib Dem shortlist for Bristol's mayoral elections revealed
ONLY two Liberal Democrats have been short-listed to become the party's candidate for Bristol's mayoral elections in November.
They are current city council leader Simon Cook and cabinet councillor Jon Rogers.
The party initially refused to reveal the identities of the contenders members would be asked to choose between. But the Post has been able to confirm their names.
They are not permitted under party rules to make comments to the media while the internal process of choosing a candidate is under way.
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One of them will be chosen after a hustings meeting on August 2.
Mr Cook took over from Barbara Janke when she stood down as leader of the city council's Lib Dem group a few months ago. He was elected as council leader at the authority's annual meeting in May.
He worked loyally as Mrs Janke's deputy and was responsible for guiding some major projects in the city, particularly the Foyer project at the Colston Hall and the new M shed museum on the waterfront at Princes Wharf.
Dr Rogers recently retired as a family GP from a doctor's practice in Avonmouth.
He has been the cabinet councillor in charge of the council's social services department and has been responsible for a number of changes in services for the elderly and people in need.
Since May, he has been given the job of running the council's capital programme, major projects and new working practices in the wake of massive council spending cuts.
Easton businessman Abdul Malik has dropped out of the race to become elected mayor for health reasons.
The former Lib Dem city councillor previously indicated that he would be seeking to become the party's candidate and, if he failed to win the nomination, would probably stand as an independent.
But he is suffering from a slipped disc and said he would not have been able to pour his energies into mounting a full campaign. Mr Malik said he had been accepted by the party as a prospective candidate to fight the General Election in 2015 and will now go through the selection process to be nominated to represent his party in a constituency.
Comments
by green_man
Friday, July 13 2012, 3:53PM
“@ A_Mushroom - "Either of these sound like the ideal candidate to get the votes of those who voted 'No' in the mayoral referendum as they will effectively subscribe to govern by the current City Council system and push to get through Lib Dem BCC policy when the Lib Dems don't get a majority in the BCC."
Ie their appeal is negative and undemocratic. I voted no to a mayor but also oppose the way the current city council works and what it stands for, so the appeal of Cook or Rogers for me is zero. Now that we have a different system I think people are likely to vote to make the best use of that system and choose a candidate accordingly.”
by A_Mushroom
Friday, July 13 2012, 1:59PM
“Either of these sound like the ideal candidate to get the votes of those who voted 'No' in the mayoral referendum as they will effectively subscribe to govern by the current City Council system and push to get through Lib Dem BCC policy when the Lib Dems don't get a majority in the BCC.”
by TorysRule
Friday, July 13 2012, 1:57PM
“I'd rather vote for a partially sighted, demented donkey than either of those two moaning ***holes.”
by rajactbeen
Friday, July 13 2012, 1:51PM
“I will be voting for Paulette North. For REAL change.”
by green_man
Friday, July 13 2012, 12:36PM
“Selecting either Simon Cook or Jon Rogers as mayoral candidate would be offering Bristol voters more of what they have already been getting from the council - they are both an intimate part of the way the city has been and is currently run. Bristolians want change and rejected the current system by voting to have an Elected Mayor. Neither, therefore, stands much chance of becoming Mayor.”