News / Politics
Samuel Williams hopes to be Tory metro mayor candidate for second time
Samuel Williams is once again hoping to be the Conservative Party candidate in May’s metro mayor elections.
But first he needs to convince Tory members that he should be the party’s official candidate.
No other Conservative candidate has yet publicly declared they are standing against Williams, hoping to emulate Tory Tim Bowles who was the first West of England metro mayor from 2017 to 2021.
is needed now More than ever
The University of Bristol graduate previously ran in the last West of England elections in 2021, switching from campaigning to be Bristol mayor, as well as the 2024 general election in the Bristol Central constituency where he finished third with fewer than 2,000 votes.
Williams, who lives in Bedminster, trained as an ordinand in the Church of England and founded Hodos Consultancy Co., a consultancy dedicated to reforming traditional philanthropy and supporting social impact start-ups.
Samuel Williams received fewer than 2,000 votes as he finished third behind the Greens’ Carla Denyer and Labour’s Thangam Debbonaire in Bristol Central in July – photo: Rob Browne
It comes as Green Party members are preparing to vote for Heather Mack and Mary Page to be their candidate; and the ballot has also opened for Labour members to choose between Nicola Beech, Helen Godwin and Tom Renhard.
The trio of Labour candidates – all former Bristol cabinet members – have been attempting to outdo each other with endorsements.
Beech now has the backing of current MPs Karin Smyth and Kerry McCarthy as well as former MP Thangam Debbonaire; Bristol North West MP Darren Jones and former Bristol mayor Marvin Rees are among those supporting Godwin; while Renhard has endorsements from North Somerset MP Sadik Al-Hassan and Filton & Bradley Stoke MP Claire Hazelgrove.
Main photo: Conservative Party
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