Former Bristol mayor Marvin Rees is backing Helen Godwin in the race to be Labour’s West of England metro mayor candidate next May. Ms Godwin, who was previously a member of Mr Rees’s Bristol City Council cabinet, launched her campaign on Monday evening (October 21).
She faces two other ex-cabinet members – Nicola Beech and current City Hall opposition Labour group leader Cllr Tom Renhard – and Bath & North East Somerset councillor Lesley Mansell, who was runner-up to Conservative Tim Bowles in the inaugural West of England Combined Authority (Weca) mayoral election in 2017. Ms Godwin lost out by a whisker to Dan Norris to be the party’s candidate for metro mayor in 2021.
Mr Norris went on to win the election and in July this year ousted Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg in the Hanham & North East Somerset parliamentary constituency, which means he cannot stand again for Weca mayor because of new Labour rules banning second jobs in elected office.
Launching her campaign and website, Ms Godwin, who was born and grew up in the region and is raising her children in Bristol, said: “Our region is home. I have family spread across the West Country.
“As the authentic, local voice from our part of the world, I would work with the Labour government to secure more investment. Other mayors are delivering new trains, new trams, and new jobs.
“We need more of that ambition here in our region. I would work with everyone, across parties and across the whole region, to make it happen.
“My door would always be open, with no ego and no gimmicks. I’m looking forward to speaking with fellow Labour Party members and fellow trade unionists over the coming weeks, hearing their ideas, and, with their support, campaigning to become our region’s mayor.”
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She was twice elected as a city councillor for Southmead ward and served as cabinet member for women, children, education and homes. Ms Godwin said that most recently she had worked with other councils and Labour-run mayoral combined authorities to improve and transform services for residents.
Backing her campaign, Mr Rees said: “Helen would be a talismanic Labour metro mayor for the West of England. Throughout my eight years as [Bristol] mayor, Helen showed herself to be one of our most significant cabinet members and Labour councillors.
“From tackling period poverty, to standing up for housing delivery, to supporting our youth mayors, to grappling with the challenges of children’s services and more, Helen led our city with technical skill, emotional intelligence and trustworthiness. I was one of the leaders who set up the combined authority.
“I have seen it from the inside out and I know what it needs to be successful. Helen is what we need.”
Ms Godwin also has the backing of both former Bristol deputy mayors Craig Cheney and Asher Craig, along with ex-city council Labour group leader Marg Hickman and South Gloucestershire Council cabinet member Cllr Sean Rhodes, who was eliminated from the initial long list of six contenders in the current race by a Labour panel, which cut it to four. The party’s candidate will be decided next month.
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