News / Politics
Tory candidate pulls out of Bristol mayoral election
The Conservatives are on the hunt for a new Bristol mayoral candidate after Samuel Williams unceremoniously pulled out of the 2021 race.
The charity campaigner and communication specialist has set his sights on a grander prize, being confirmed as the Tory challenger hoping to become the next West of England Combined Authority (WECA) metro mayor.
The current metro mayor, Tim Bowles, who is standing down after just one term, is a Tory, and Williams now thinks he has a much better chance in WECA than Bristol.
Williams said: “I have accepted the enormous honour of becoming the Conservative candidate for the West of England Combined Authority.
“I am standing to serve our region and secure the future that we all want and need. I am the fresh voice with a fresh vision for a region in which we can all thrive.”
Williams swiftly changed his social media accounts from @Samuel4Bristol to @Samuel4Weca following the announcement.
He will be standing against a fellow S Williams to become regional mayor: the Lib Dems’ Stephen Williams; with another former MP, Dan Norris, recently confirmed as Labour’s candidate.
Samuel Williams’ withdrawal from the Bristol mayoral race means that with less than six months to go until the election, neither the Conservatives nor Lib Dems have candidates, after Lib Dem Mary Page also recently withdrew.
Labour incumbent Marvin Rees will be standing for a second term on May 6 2021 with Green Party candidate Sandy Hore-Ruthven also confirmed on the ballot paper.
As with previous years, there is likely to be a number of independent candidates, which could include Three Lions landlord, Sean Donnelly, and former candidate, Paul Saville, among others.
Main photo: Connor Payne
Read more: Outspoken pub landlord to enter race to become Bristol’s next mayor
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