Labour's Ivan Lewis to stand for Greater Manchester Mayor

A Labour MP sacked by text message by Jeremy Corbyn is to run for one of the top jobs in local politics.

Ivan Lewis, the MP for Bury South and former government minister, announced he will seek the Labour candidacy to become Greater Manchester's first elected mayor under "Northern Powerhouse" devolution plans for the area.

The former shadow Northern Ireland secretary was sent a text by new Labour leader Mr Corbyn telling him his job had been given to someone else in a re-shuffle last year.

Mr Lewis had served under four Labour leaders and held ministerial positions in the Treasury, Education, the Foreign Office, International Development and Health.

Announcing his intention to stand as mayor of Greater Manchester, he said:

Voters across Greater Manchester will be asked to elect a mayor in May 2017 following the "DevoManc" deals signed by the city region's 10 council leaders and central government, devolving power for transport, housing, skills and, later, for the £6 billion NHS and social care budget.

Mr Lewis, 48, has 19 years' experience as a Greater Manchester MP, having served nine consecutive years as a minister and five years in the Labour shadow cabinet.

He became a Bury councillor at 23, was made chief executive of a social care charity at 25 and became an MP, aged 30, in 1997, when he took back Bury South from the Tories.

He added:

Former Labour MP Tony Lloyd, who is already serving as interim mayor of Greater Manchester, and is the region's current Police and Crime Commissioner, has also announced his intention to stand as Labour's candidate.