Tag Archives: elected mayor

Iain Roberts

Opinion: The case for a mayor for Greater Manchester  

By Iain Roberts | Thu 15th January 2015 - 11:42 am

In this article I’m going to make the case for a Mayor for Greater Manchester. I realise this isn’t going to be a popular position, particularly in Lib Dem circles. Our mayors – Dorothy in Watford and Dave in Bedford – are great of course. But what about Boris in London or that monkey in Hartlepool (twice re-elected) and don’t even get me started on Tower Hamlets. In the conversations I’ve had with Lib Dems, the word “mayor” is generally met with a look of horror.

But here’s the thing. About all those mayors have in common with what’s proposed for Greater Manchester is the name “mayor”. London, along with those councils who have opted for mayors, have “strong mayor” models. In these, the mayor is able to act alone. Typically they appoint their own cabinets with councillors or assembly members having little power to stop the mayor doing what he or she wants.

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged | 25 Comments
The Voice

Mayor Dorothy announces she’ll go for fourth term in Watford

By The Voice | Thu 26th September 2013 - 3:35 pm

June 2011 Watford, UK Elected Mayor of Watford Dorothy ThornhillGood news in Watford, where Dorothy Thornhill, who in 2002 became the first directly-elected Lib Dem mayor in the country, has announced she will run for a fourth term of office:

I am really pleased to announce that I am going to stand again as the mayoral candidate for the Watford Liberal Democrats in the 2014 mayoral elections.

Last night we held our official party meeting at St Luke’s Church, at which I was unanimously reselected. The turnout was great,

…

Continue reading »
Posted in Local government and News | Also tagged , and | 3 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Nigel Jones
    @Vince, your nuanced approach makes some sense and as you say it is a complicated situation. If we get gas from the Jackdaw field and not importing it, does tha...
  • Nigel Jones
    I agee with your main argument. We do not need to support many pensioners with the triple lock and those who are poor should be provided for in another way. I ...
  • Jana
    Two seats where Restore standing has probably cost Reform gains. If this becomes an ongoing pattern, Farage may have to swallow his pride and do a deal with Res...
  • Chris Bowers
    Thank you to everyone who commented on my post, even if, by the end, the responses had drifted into the realm of comments-about-comments-about-comments. I think...
  • Chris Perry
    What the Prime Minister actually said was that if a prices link or 2.5% did not keep up with earnings over time the government would correct it. But that would ...