NEWS STORY : Jamie Driscoll to Stand as an Independent Mayor

STORY

Jamie Driscoll, the metro Mayor of the North of Tyne Combined Authority, has announced that he is quitting the Labour Party following his failure to be selected as the party’s candidate for the Mayor of the North East. Driscoll said in a statement:

“People are tired of being controlled by Westminster and Party HQs. They want someone to stand up for them. Let the people decide. £25k by end of August and I’ll stand as North East Mayor”.

He said in his resignation letter that:

“Given you have barred me from running as north-east mayor despite being incumbent mayor, I have no other choice”.

The Labour Party earlier this week selected Kim McGuinness, the current Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, to stand for them in the election. A spokesperson for the Labour Party said in a statement:

“With Keir Starmer as leader, the Labour party is a changed party, relentlessly focused on delivering for working people, and we make no apologies that Labour candidates are held to the highest standard. The Tories have let our region down, and as Labour mayor Kim will be the strong voice the north-east deserves”.