Liam Fogarty would run in race for Liverpool's first directly elected mayor
The man leading Liverpool's campaign to have an elected Mayor has confirmed he will run for the office.
Liverpool is due to hold a referendum in May about whether it wants a mayor, and if the city votes yes Mr Fogarty said he will run.
Chair of A Mayor For Liverpool Liam Fogarty says he would run as an independent candidate with ambitious ideas for the city.
Mr Fogarty said: "Campaigning for an elected mayor I'm constantly being asked about my own intentions.
"It's only fair to make things clear ahead of May's referendum. Yes, I'd love the job.
"Liverpool is a big city with big challenges. We need big ideas so we can "raise our game" as a city.
"I have plenty of big ideas. I want to share them with the people of Liverpool and put them into action as their first elected Mayor."
"I've reported on Liverpool politics for almost 30 years. I've seen the in-fighting and the point-scoring that keeps dragging Liverpool down."
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David Bartlett
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What a surprise. I remember exchanging emails with Liam in which he got most offended by my suggestion that he would be standing for Mayor.
So what would this Oxford educated man bring to the city?
Is he high profile. No.
Does he steeped in politics. Yes.
Is he a breath of fresh air. No.
I tried to speak to him at a Capital of Culture meeting about 2004 not interested in talk to the plebs.
Since then I've received one rather snide response to an email.
He set up a group on facebook called "A mayor for Liverpool" in which he doesn't interact with the members.
My conclusion is that he is another arrogant fool, who will play politics with the city.
My experience of people says that people bubbling with ideas can't help but talk about them, Liam is no such man.
The only thing I can say in his favour is that he isn't Phil Redmond.
Liam shows his democratic credentials by kicking me out of the A Mayor for Liverpool conference on Facebook.
Well if you called him an 'arrogant fool' there too I'm not surprised.
Nothing undemocratic about it, sounds like he doesn't like abuse and bad manners like most of us. Good for him.
Let us an elected Merseyside Mayor, charged with the job of reducing the total cost of Councils Both sides of the river.
A suitable Merseyside Mayor with full executive powers to reduce the total number of very expensive Councillors.
Elected Councillors who only work on behalf of the local population and not answerable to the Political Party Whips in Whitehall.
Remove petty Party Politics from Local Government, and listen to the local electorate for a change.
I'm Not Phil Redmond is likely to be the catchphrase of all candidates that fancies their chances of winning.
It is true that many suspected this, but a part of me felt that surely the reason Liam wanted a Mayor for Liverpool was not only so that he could be the post holder. That is breath-taking.
If he is serious then he needs to find something new to talk about. Because I have searched my (admittedly somewhat depleted these days) memory bank and the only thing I can recall ever hearing Liam's name mentioned in connection with is wanting a Mayor for Liverpool.
I have never heard his views for instance on how the most deprived city in the country can best manage the biggest cuts in the history of local government.
Far be it from me to advise a candidate other than an approved Labour one (always assuming this ill-judged suggestion finally gets off the ground and I will need talking round to the idea to be honest as I have never supported it) but the public will need very full manifesto and policy ideas from any aspiring candidate.
Let's hear some of these big ideas from the proponent because like many other cynics, I cannot help but wonder whether the biggest one isn't simply "Let's have a Mayor, baggsy it's me"
Not entirely sure why we're having this debate when we haven't even voted on whether or not we want an elected mayor. Heck, we don't even know the role's remit or powers, yet we're already squabbling over personalities and politics.
By the way, I'm not Phil Redmond either.
I agree entirely with Louise on this. Whenever Fogarty's name has come up (always and solely in relation to the local mayor isue), I have wondered who he is, exactly, and what his ideas are.
This morning I looked him up - ex-BBC journalist with a company that provides media training to police forces and a local council. If he is so interested in local politics, and feels he could make a contribution to local government, why has he never stood for election as a councillor? Presumably he thinks he's above all that? Doesn't want to do all the boring stuff?
He talks a lot about why we need a mayor - but never about his policies, or about the detail of these "ambitious plans".
So what exactly does he want to do and why does he think he's the person to do it?
I thought as much! Foghorn Leggarty knows that I was the popular choice as elected mayor for Liverpool. That's why he would never write back to me. I thought he was going to organise my campaign but he completely ignored me! "The People's Mayor" as Lionel Blair dubbed me. In fact there was a Facebook campaign to have me elected. It was me afterall that had to bring common sense and order to the city and steer them to success during Capital of Custard 2008 when all the outsider carpetbaggers were running off with the money and Redmond was walking around wearing a brides dress and carrying a bouquet. Well at least Cameron's new Big Society friend won't have a chance. But let the people know this: I stand ready to do my duty to the people of this great city, ready to make any sacrifice, to commit myself 100% day and night to our magnificent city and it's people.
By the way, how much is the pay? It has to be more than the Chief Executive. Do I get a limousine? I want one of those big stretch ones that people stick their bottoms out of the window on hen nights. (Not that I will be doing that, well not unless I'm bevvied) Do I get free tickets to the match and the arena? I take t there will still be lots of banquets, foreiegn trips and freebies! These are important questions if I am to freely give my time in noble service of the people. I have my own hat by the way!
katie54 - I imagine he's never run for the council because he thinks the existing system is a total waste of time, that's kind of why he's been promoting a new system for so long. He used to be the BBC's local government correspondent so I imagine he knows a bit about the subject.
If he has any ideas at all it will be progress, Labour and the Lib Dems didn't bother with manifestos for years but it didn't seem to do them any harm, only the city.
Great photo "Oooh I could crush a grape!"
Just to announce the campaign for Professor Y. Chucklebutty for Liverpool Elected Mayor has now started. A Facebook group from last time he expressed an interests as been regurgitated today, with nothing new at all. This however has already put the Professor at an advantage, as Foghorn has said nothing at all. Show your support by joining the group.
Here are the facebook details.
https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=26715802422&ref=ts
I can't believe it's not better, what powers do you think an elected mayor will or should have? What is this new system that Fogarty is promoting, exactly? Utopia?
Never mind the big vision - where are the details? All politicians have ideas. The problem is putting them into practice.
So what does he want to do, exactly? And, more importantly, how does he think he could achieve it?
katie54, It seems pretty simple to me, first we have a referendum, then - if the people of the city vote yes - we have a contest for Mayor. I listened to Liam on Radio Merseyside last night and he said that the reason he announced his intention now was that he was frequently asked the question and he felt it was becoming a distraction. If and when he runs I'm sure he will make his platform clear then, just like all the other candidates.
I doubt he'll be promising Utopia but then after years of Bradley, Storey, Prendergast and a dozen other best-forgotten failures most of us would settle for a bit of competence.
Katie54 - Would you also expect Liam to announce his aims & policies for the post of World President even though that post hasn't been confirmed as wanted in a referendum? Grow up! First things first - if the people of Liverpool don't want a mayor then they can stick with the current lot who spend more time backbiting and plotting against each other than looking out for the city's future. Liam has been ahead of the game for years now and central gov't is finally catching up on how a directly elected mayor can be a uniting and strong voice for cities. An elected mayor would be great for Liverpool and bad for the present political incumbents who would be dragged into the spotlight of accountability by him or her.
An elected mayor would sadly only be great for whoever was elected mayor.
Boris Johnson's only real claim to fame is that he is a bit strange. Not sure finding someone, who very few have ever heard of, who does come across as a bit strange too is sufficient qualifications for the job mind.
I have three questions concerning a directly-elected mayor, which perhaps Liam or even Joe Anderson could answer:
1. Would he or she take over the complete function of the chief exectutive. If so, would the mayor be elected to a full-time post, with comparable chief executive's pay?
2. Will the electorate be able to contact the mayor direct with their local problems?
3. We are told that the roles of councillors would be greatly enhanced. What further democratic powers would they be given?
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