Reform UK is looking for a “deeply patriotic” candidate to stand in the upcoming election for the West of England mayor. The right-wing political party has posted a job advert online, saying that “no prior political experience is necessary”.
Voters will head to the polls on Thursday, May 1, to choose the next mayor to run the West of England Combined Authority. The current Labour mayor, Dan Norris, is not standing again as he became an MP in the general election last summer for North East Somerset and Hanham.
Reform did not stand a candidate in the previous election in 2021, and is a relatively new party. However, UKIP stood in the 2017 election and came in sixth place, winning just 4.2 per cent of the votes.
The job advert states: “No prior political experience is necessary, but you must be talented, have a track-record solving problems in the real world, and be deeply patriotic. Most of all you must have a huge passion for improving the lives of the people of Mayor of West of England.”
The advert also refers to the position as “newly created”, however the mayoral role was first established eight years ago, in 2017. The first mayor was the Conservative Tim Bowles.
Other candidates standing in the election are: Helen Godwin, Labour; Steve Smith, Conservative; Mary Page, Green; and Oli Henman, Liberal Democrat.
In the general election last summer, Reform candidates stood in nine of the 10 parliamentary constituencies in the West of England. The party came third in Bristol South, North East Somerset and Hanham, Thornbury and Yate, Frome and East Somerset, and Filton and Bradley Stoke; fourth in Bristol North West, Bristol Central, and Bristol North East; and fifth in Bath.