VIDEO: Bristol mayor candidate Marvin Rees sets out his aims
Labour's newly chosen candidate in the race to become Bristol's first elected mayor has spoken of his aims for the city.
It was announced last night that 40-year-old Marvin Rees had seen off competition from party heavyweights on the city council and a former MP to win the backing of members.
ThisisBristol asked Mr Rees, of Easton, to explain his top five priorities for Bristol if he is elected in November.
As he explains in this video, they are: a coherent long term vision for the city, an apprenticeship programme, better childcare, making Bristol a "living wage city" and sorting out the city's transport system.
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A full interview with Mr Rees can be found here.
Mr Rees is now likely to be the bookies' favourite to win the race to fill the new role, which will be decided in an election on November 15.
He works as a programme manager in public health for the NHS and has worked as a BBC Radio reporter, political campaigner and charity coordinator.
Last week, he was given the backing of the country's biggest union, Unite, which said he "stood out from an impressive field of candidates as the person best placed to represent working people and their families".
In the party ballot, he clinched the vote by defeating Helen Holland and Peter Hammond, the former and current leaders of the party's group on the city council, former Wansdyke MP Dan Norris and former city councillor Kelvin Blake.
Independent George Ferguson was the bookies' favourite in the first set of odds produced last month, when there were still five Labour contenders. But even then the party was rated odds-on to win the final vote, making Mr Rees the likely man to beat.
Other candidates already declared include former Tory councillor Spud Murphy and businessman Andy Thorn, both independents. The Conservative and Liberal Democrat candidates have yet to be selected.
Comments
by righttime
Tuesday, July 17 2012, 5:06PM
“Culturally and sportswise Bristol rarely features in the media. It doesn't sound like he will do anything about that. Rees will not be outward looking but inward looking. He will be supporting a Labour agenda and because he is mayor he will have a longer tenure in office than exisitng council leaders. Is this realy why people voted for a mayor? I don't think so.”
by Tody123
Wednesday, June 20 2012, 10:10PM
“He is too lightweight, we need a bigger name for the first Mayor, somebody with a bit of clout and personality”
by BorisLot
Wednesday, June 20 2012, 8:21PM
“Emily Koch, what is your connection with Marvin? At least three articles this week on Mr Rees and where is the opposition? Balanced reporting please.”
by 321stan
Wednesday, June 20 2012, 12:40AM
“You can dress it up as much as you like, but a labour mayor will just do what is in the best interests of the labour party . . .end of!!!!
The fact that he is the candidate backed by the unite union makes it even more worrying.
Definately one to steer clear of if you want an independent figure free from outside influence !!!!”
by lolly60
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 11:12PM
“Is he for a new football ground for Bristol City or against it people would like an answer .”
by kromax
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 10:52PM
“Good to hear Marvin recognises that transport is the main issue especially in the south of Bristol, as is fundamental in giving job opportunities to all. Would be nice if he could look at the idea of a business incubator that would help people get business ideas off the ground to help themselves.”
by Trymriverman
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 8:47PM
“Typical politician - he spend three minutes saying absolutely nothing concrete, or of any practical value & you can't attack the guy for supporting low paid workers. You'd have thought though that he'd have taken the trouble to do some basic market research to find out what people were specifically interested in that could practically be fixed, then present a few simple ideas, e.g.: "traffic is a problem but I'll get all council vehicles off the roads, and work to remove all commercial vehicles from roads, for a couple of hours during the rush hour each day"; People want an Arena and I do to..." etc.”
by Richard34
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 7:02PM
“He starts his interview by saying that there's no a real city vision. I wonder what he thinks about the excellent Neighbourhood Partnerships that are transforming city areas then?
What he has to say about our £500m Cabot Circus shopping centre and millions of pounds of further investment in to the rest of Broadmead and all of the work that Destination Bristol have been doing to plan and develop the city centre during this most difficult economic time since the 2nd world war.
GBBN and the work that is being done to transform public transport and district centres. Parks and open spaces, schools, colleges and universities, medical centres, hospitals and fitness centres all modernised and or about to be rebuilt. Business centres including Temple Quarter and the Enterprise Zone and Bristol & Bath Science Park. If there's no city vision (which we all know that there is and it's being conducted by 100's of people linked with Design Bristol and Bristol Futures) then I'd love to know how Mr Rees is going to do things any better and where on earth is he going to get the funds?
He speaks of people being locked out of the Labour Force and the need for child care. Who is going to pay for this child care Mr Rees and who will pay for the elderly people in our families to be care for as well? Are you expecting people to all go to work when they have other responsibilities and leave compassion behind? If you are going to pursue this route then you will need to start building new nurseries and employing staff in house becuase the private sector will never lower their prices to meet your demands and employ 1000's of carers as well.
The Post has just led a success campaign for apprenticeships, how are you going to do things different and how are you going to help those 100's of low skills and low qualified young people to meet apprenticeship level?
Living wage city sounds great but is it possible? Is London a living wage city? Three of the worst five most deprived areas in the UK are in London. 1000's of people work in the voluntary sector, how will they have a living wage and 1000's of full time carers are on the minimum wage.
Transport is already being taken care of and business centres again are underway. Why South of the River? There's a £5bn programme for development there, are you going to do things differently? What about the poverty in East Bristol and in North Bristol, these are just as deprived in the context.
A lot of talk.. no answers.”