Rotheram named as Labour's Liverpool mayoral candidate

Liverpool Walton MP Steve Rotheram will be Labour's candidate in next year's Liverpool City Region mayoral election.

After beating the city's current mayor Joe Anderson and fellow Merseyside MP Luciana Berger in a vote of Labour members in the region, Rotheram is almost certain to become the first elected mayor of the Liverpool City Region, giving Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn an important ally in a powerful devolved role.

With just under 60 per cent of the vote, Rotheram will bid to become mayor of the Liverpool City Region, which comprises the city and St Helens, Knowsley, Sefton, Wirral and Halton in Cheshire. The new mayor will oversee transport, planning, post-16 education and wield a £900 million investment fund.

Rotheram said: "I have travelled the length and breadth of our city region and have spoken with people in every borough, from all walks of life, who share the same ambition as me - to build a city region that utilises the energy, the talents, the ideas and the hopes of all our people, to transform the present and begin to shape its future, creating a more vibrant, more prosperous area.

"I will put social justice at the heart of my administration; something which I've been passionate about all of my political career. I'll stand up for ordinary people and be a real champion for Merseyside and Halton on the national and international stage.

"Devolution presents us with a unique opportunity to make decisions locally, in the interests of local people, to ensure each person within our six districts has the best chance in life."

The election is to be held on 4 May 2017. Other parties are yet to name their candidates.