People living in the six boroughs of the Liverpool City Region (Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens, Wirral and Halton), have a choice of five candidates to vote for their next mayor on May 2. Here’s everything you need to know about Ian Smith.
Mr Smith was born in Seaforth and has lived in the area all his life and has previously stood in local elections in Sefton. He describes himself as a socialist entrepreneur and philanthropist who is committed to restoring what he believes is a decline in public confidence in politics.
Mr Smith argues devolution is the best way to achieve this and believes the City Region should get a better deal from Westminster: “Decisions affecting our future have been made for far too long by people who are not aware of the needs and priorities of our region. The capital and the South East have had their interests given priority by a centralised political system centred in London, with Northern cities and regions being disregarded despite their historical contributions to the prosperity and international stature of our country.”
Mr Smith wants to end rough sleeping and believes that “empty buildings, houses and land could tackle the problem head on.”
Mr Smith wants young people to ‘realise their full potential’. To do this, he would like to produce highly skilled, valuable jobs in the industries of the future while guaranteeing that all young people have access to the training and education needed.
Regarding transport, Mr Smith believes that the City Region’s digital infrastructure needs updating, and by modernising the transport systems it would “put us at the vanguard of a brand-new high-speed rail network for the North.”
Mr Smith wants an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and has joined weekly marches calling for an end to fighting between Hamas and Israel.
All information for the candidates can be found under the Politics section on merseynewslive.co.uk
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