The final list of candidates for the mayoral elections in May has been released, following weeks of speculation. The race for a new and directly-elected mayor has been in the spotlight since February when Liverpool City Council voted to hold mayoral elections, and 12 candidates have now come foward.
The intense political competition, however, has proven to be too much for some people already, like Herbert Howe, the local celebrity hairdresser, and student Jonathan Maher. Both dropped out of the race just days before nominations closed.
The full list released by the Council on its website is as follows:
Joe Anderson: Labour nominee and City Council Leader
Manifesto highlights goals to bring 20,000 new jobs, 2,500 more houses and 12 new schools to the city. He pledges to provide college students in the city with a £20 per week as a replacement for the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) cut by government.
Richard Kemp: Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Liverpool City Council
Aims to set up a ‘Liverpool Bond’ to raise money for infrastructure and local business. He pledges to create a tram link to John Lennon Airport, and to encourage the migrant community in Liverpool. Also promoting the idea of a ‘Curry Mile’ in Toxteth.
Steve Radford: Leader of the Liberal Party in Liverpool
Main campaign point is to bring jobs to the five new enterprise zones of the city, encourage long-term global deals beyond Europe to bring economic growth and employment opportunities to combat poverty.
John Coyne: Liverpool’s Green Party Councillor
Manifesto pledges to bridge pay gap, lower bus fares, promote local businesses and to make the city a healthier, more environmentally-friendly place. Highlight of his campaign is to tackle the housing problem by refurbishing disused homes instead of demolition.
Liam Fogarty: Ex-BBC reporter and Independent candidate
Manifesto highlights ’10 big ideas’, including: a people’s mayor promoting the Freedom of Information Act, city-wide mentoring and personal financial education for each school student, and various ‘welcoming’ schemes to make Liverpool friendlier to visitors.
Tony Caldeira: Local entrepreneur and Liverpool Conservative Party nominee
Pledges to freeze Council Tax if elected as mayor and would invite rival mayoral candidates to serve in his cabinet. Also promised to link Liverpool John Lennon Airport by rail. The highlight of his manifesto is to make Liverpool the ‘Capital of Enterprise Culture’.
Adam Heatherington: UK Independence Party nominee
Advocates cutting of taxes and red tape hampering small businesses and abolition of the tax on work. Pledges to work to safeguard services like the police force, keep Sure Start
Centres open and to reintroduce school uniform grants.
Tony Mulhearn: Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Pledges to provide an anti-cuts alternative by drawing on uncollected taxes and various bank reserves. Mulhearn was a member of the city council from 1984 to 1987 during a controversial era, which saw him expelled from the Labour Party in 1986.
Jeff Berman: Founder of the Liverpool Independent Party
Campaign focuses on development of manufacturing and encouraging small businesses. He also wants to introduce free parking on Sundays and pledges to work out the ‘Allerton Maze’ traffic problems at Queens Drive roundabout and Menlove Avenue.
Paul Rimmer: English Democrats candidate
Candidate nominated by the English Democrats, no other manifesto released.
Peter Tierney: National Front Candidate
One of the two late additions to the list, no manifesto has yet been announced.
Mike Whitby: British National Party Nominee
The last candidate to be announced, also with no manifesto released at present.