Mayor Election 2016 / News
Corbyn in Bristol to congratulate new mayor
Marvin Rees had the crowd of Labour campaigners eating out of the palm of his hand as he made his second speech of the day following his resounding victory over George Ferguson.
That was until Jeremy Corbyn slipped through the Labour signage behind the city’s new mayor, triggering a massive cheer which all but drowned him out.
The Labour Party leader, who rushed down by train to join the celebrations on College Green after missing out on Sadiq Khan’s party, embraced Rees in front of the jubilant crowd.
is needed now More than ever
“It’s a wonderful day,” Corbyn said, surrounded by supporters. “Marvin Rees, a black man, elected mayor of Bristol.”
He added: “Marvin as mayor. Marvin as mayor for housing, for jobs, for education and for transport. Marvin is showing a city united and there is nothing you can’t achieve absolutely united.”
Before he was interrupted, Rees had told the crowd: “This campaign has been an opportunity for the city to talk about itself, to talk about its priorities; what’s it good at, what’s it not so good at. What the leadership has been good at, what it’s not been good at.”
“I’m going to make a big priority over the coming days of going out to meet the leaders of all the key institutions in Bristol because now single individual, single institution runs this city.
“We’re only going to be able to unlock Bristol’s full potential, we’re only going to be able to rally all the resource, strategy and influence people’s lives if we work as a collective.”
Corbyn’s appearance followed a number of visits to Bristol by the Labour leader and many shadow ministers in the run-up to the elections.
Rees, like new London mayor Sadiq Khan, voted for Andy Burnham in the leadership elections last summer and was slow to back Corbyn after his selection.
Read more: Who is mayor Marvin?