Labour Party reveals West Midlands mayoral candidates longlist

Labour has released its longlist of candidates vying to become the next West Midlands Mayor ahead of the election in May 2024.

Candidates will go to a vote of party members before one is selected to take on incumbent Conservative Andy Street, who is running for a third successive term.

Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster and former PWC partner Richard Parker have both made the list, having already publicly declared their candidacies.

Nicky Brennan became the first Victim's Commission for the West Midlands.

Tweeting after the long list was announced, Ms Brennan said: "The West Midlands is at a crossroads, we're on the cusp of a Labour govt that will change lives for the better."I'm ready to play my part in our region by being the champion the West Midlands needs."

Conservative, Andy Street, became the first person to hold the office of Mayor after winning in 2017.

He repeated his success in 2021, increasing his majority by around 7 percentage points.

In that time Labour candidates have struggled to arouse a sufficient wave of support from within the party and the public.

Richard Parker, who described his campaign as one of ‘unity’, already has the backing of three former candidates, Liam Byrne MP, union activist and former council leader Pete Lowe and former Minister Lynda Waltho.

His campaign also reports he has the backing of “key figures from across local government”.

In a message to Labour Party members, Richard Parker said: “Together we will reach out to people in every part of this region to deliver a Labour victory. A victory that will give people hope, change people's lives and changes the places they live.

“My journey has not been conventional. It was access to opportunity that transformed me from leaving school at 16 to someone succeeding in business. Opportunities that many no longer get.

“Eight years ago I worked with Labour Leaders to put the Mayoral Combined Authority together.

“We had aims and ambitions; for fairness, for inclusion, for investment - we had hope.

“But that has been eroded. We simply cannot go on like this. I am not prepared to stand back anymore. Allowing a Tory Mayor, and a catalogue of Tory Prime Ministers write us off.s

“I won’t rest until we have an integrated public transport system. We will work to ensure no place is left behind - building pride in our place.

“I will lead an all-out assault on low pay to help those suffering from the cost of living crisis.”

Tweeting about his intention to run Simon Foster, who was elected as West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner in 2021, said: "In 2021, I was elected by the people of the West Midlands to rebuild community policing and hold the police service to account.

"Together, with your support, we beat the Tories against all the odds. Now they want to abolish the PCC and your right to vote, because they don’t have the courage to face me at the ballot box.

"They want to remove me, because I know what it takes to win, to represent the people of the West Midlands and how Labour in power makes a positive difference to people’s lives.

“Over the coming weeks, I’ll be making my case to Labour members as to why I have the best possible chance to deliver a win for Labour in May 2024. Against all the odds, I won in 2021 and together, with your support, we can win again!"

Some of the more than 10,000 Labour Party members in the West Midlands will now have the chance to vote for their preferred candidate, with a winner expected to be announced by 14 April 2023.