ELECTED PLYMOUTH MAYORS, YES OR NO?

The political spin machines are being dusted down, and the same old arguments in keeping the ruling elite in charge of Plymouth are being rolled out.

I am amused the same old arguments are also being played out on the cost of holding an election, the powers that could be lost by the party machines, running costs, more bureaucracy, etc.

We fought hard in the 2001/2002 campaign for a YES VOTE, but the established parties, Labour and Conservative, fought together to keep the status quo.

All elections in the UK are not cheap; they cost millions of pounds, and that is, quite frankly, the price of democracy we live in.

If we are to preserve our remaining and diminishing freedoms of expression, freedom of speech, and freedom to hold elections, then another mayoral vote is a good idea to test public opinion since our last vote in the early millennium, if a change in our local governance can do better.

A double irony that those opposing a directly elected mayor in Plymouth, are supporting a potential regional super mayor without any public consultations from the people and being decided by a few councillors and selected business leaders – and will be another layer of bureaucracy.

Many of us have great faith that the people will decide what they want when the mayoral vote is called in July 2025.

Yes or no, ultimately the citizens of Plymouth will decide.

Front pages in the Herald & EXTRA and our launch for a mayoral vote back in 2001/2002 in the Herald.

Kevin Kelway was one of the lead players for change and the YES VOTE.

Results of the 2002 Mayoral Election in Plymouth

42,811 (59%) voted to keep the status quo.

29,559 (41%) voted for change.

72,370 ballot papers were returned.