Candidates campaigning to be Mayor of Greater Manchester

Sean Anstee

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Sean Anstee (Conservatives) - Trafford Council leader. He is the region's youngest, and only Tory, council leader. He left school at 16 to pursue an apprenticeship. He worked his way up to become vice-president at Bank of New York Mellon in Manchester in 2009. He is openly gay and has been in a civil partnership with Thom for four years.

He said: "This May voters will go to the polls to vote for Greater Manchester's first elected mayor. It is a truly historic moment and a chance for communities to take control of decisions that matter to them, with the person they vote for directly accountable to them.

"That is why it is so important to vote for the right person. I want everybody in Greater Manchester to have opportunities to realise their potential so nobody is held back, and nobody is left behind.

"I understand the concerns of residents in the region as I grew up down the road from the city centre, in Partington. I am from here, for here.

"We have so much to offer the world, but, we have to get our city region working better for all of us. As the Conservative mayor for Greater Manchester I will fight for better transport links, more quality housing and better health and social care.

"The creation of a Mayor for Greater Manchester and the transfer of many powers from Westminster is a great opportunity we need to embrace.

"Only a Conservative mayor would be best placed to work with the Government to bring about an economy and region that works for everyone and working with the Government I know we can make "Greater Manchester world class. I want to create a city region made up of places that are the very definition of opportunity and that we are all proud to call home.

"Only a Conservative mayor will be able to offer a bold, new future for Greater Manchester. The Conservatives have a Plan for Britain. I have a Plan for Greater Manchester."

Mohammad Aslam (Independent) - Mr Aslam, originally from Pakistan, is a Salford resident and a director of a property letting company with years of business experience. His policies include tackling the housing crisis, 15 minutes free parking at selected places and a free lane for buses and all taxis.

He said: "I want Manchester to become a modern city. I want more investment in Greater Manchester. There is a big homeless problem and I want to solve that. While students are still at school they will have free bus passes during school hours."

Jane Brophy (Liberal Democrats) - Ms Brophy is a Timperley ward councillor on Trafford Council. Her policies include working for a unified health and social care system, expanding the Metrolink and enable more brownfield development. Go to www.janebrophy.com/manifesto 

She said: "I am the only proudly passionate pro-European candidate in this election and my top priority is to halt the aggressive Brexit agenda threatening local jobs, trade and businesses.

"As your mayor, I will fight to deliver real change for residents across Greater Manchester. No matter where you're from, where you live, which school you went to, where you work, how much you earn, who you love or what you believe in - I believe we should all be able to step forward together.

"I work for the NHS, with my current role based in Preston; my NHS work has seen me based in most of the Greater Manchester boroughs over the years.

"I was first elected to Trafford Council in 1994 and I currently reside in and represent Timperley ward.

"As Mayor of Greater Manchester, I will: fight against a ruinous hard Brexit that will cost jobs across Greater Manchester; scrap the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework and oppose over-development of the green belt; tackle the sharp rise in crime that's hit people under Labour's watch, with a focus on tackling crimes against people; and build a health system that works for everyone in Greater Manchester, improving mental health treatment and integrating social care."

Andy Burnham (Labour) - Mr Burnham has been the MP for Leigh since 2001 and was the Shadow Home Secretary until last October. His election pledges include free passes on public transport for all 16 to 18-year-olds, introducing the country's first fully integrated National Health and Social Care service and ending rough sleeping by 2020. Go to at www.burnhamformayor.co.uk/ourmanifesto

He said: "I have put young people at the heart of my manifesto. Westminster has made them a target for cuts but in Greater Manchester I will make them a priority for investment. The only way to build a strong and prosperous City-Region for everyone is to give hope to the next generation. Greater Manchester will only rise to the challenge of Brexit if we invest in our people and give all our young citizens hope for their future.

"I will start by giving all young people aged between 16 and 18 half price travel on buses and Metrolink and I will introduce a university-style application system for apprenticeships so young people can see all opportunities available in the whole of Greater Manchester.

"As I've campaigned across Greater Manchester people have raised the issue of homelessness. I will establish a Homelessness Action Network to end rough-sleeping by 2020 and will kick-start a new fund by donating 15 per cent of my mayoral salary on an ongoing basis.

"In recent years parts of Greater Manchester have been transformed, including Manchester City Centre and Media City. We need to see that same level of priority and investment in other areas like Oldham.

"I will also protect current travel concessions for older people and introduce a new volunteering scheme for older people to make sure we maximise the contributions of older people who want to give something back to society.

Greater Manchester is the home of forward radical thinking. We have always done things differently here and it's time to do it again."

Marcus Farmer (Independent) - He is a Manchester-based businessman who set up STE Waste Management Ltd. He voted to leave the EU and is in favour of grammar schools. His policies include making the bus and tram systems free at the point of entry, set up a new grant funding scheme for youth businesses and create a Green Economy zone in the western areas of Greater Manchester. Go to www.marcusfarmer.co.uk 

He said: "I was privileged to be born into a successful, white-collar home and to travel up the educational ladder to achieve a degree in management science here in Manchester. After a couple of years training as an accountant, I chose to start up a business in the blue-collar waste-management trade. Having worked across all areas of Manchester, I think I now have a reasonable idea of what makes people tick.

"In my view, managing Manchester's political strategy is an enormous undertaking as we seek to make 2+2=5 with limited resources. But it can be done if the person running the show instils confidence, hope and integrity in the electorate. Success is about building strong partnerships with other cities and attracting investment into our area. Building on the intangible wealth of our city will be central to everything we do, as we strive to hold onto our best people and attract new talent in all industry sectors creating better jobs as we do.

"My mayorship, or anyone else's, must therefore be viewed as a long-term project. I am getting involved in this election because I don't want my children's future ruined by poor decision-makers and because I have opinions that are currently not reflected by any of the other candidates."

Stephen Morris (English Democrats) - Mr Morris, from Bury, has vowed to abolish road tax and hospital car-parking charges in Greater Manchester. One of his health and social care policies is to pay the tuition fees of Greater Manchester residents who study in the region to become doctors or nurses, and sign up to work for the NHS in the region for a minimum of five years. If elected, he also said he would invite US President Donald Trump to Manchester. Go to www.stephenmorris.info

He said: "I was born, raised, live and have worked all my life in Greater Manchester. I have worked in retail - eight years as a retail manager on Oldham's High Street - and public transport where I was the Unite branch secretary until moving to the Workers of England Union and in 2015, becoming the general secretary.

"I am against building on green belt, against fracking in our area and against any congestion charge being imposed on you.

"My manifesto guarantees 'Local Jobs for Local People', a living wage, social housing and a public transport fit for purpose. I know what it takes for businesses to survive; I know what we need to do to make public transport an attractive option to use. I know how to tackle the appalling child poverty, deprivation and homelessness spreading across Greater Manchester under Labour.

"I will make sure businesses tendering for Greater Manchester local authority contracts must have family-friendly policies, they reject zero-hour contracts, they implement the Greater Manchester 'living wage' and people are given priority in job vacancies.

"I will put more police on the beat to tackle the drink and drugs-related crimes which is spiralling out of control in our area.

"My health and social care plans will make Greater Manchester a healthier and more prosperous place to live and work."

Shneur Odze (UKIP) - Mr Odze has lived in Bury and Salford since 2004. He has been a hospital governor, councillor, European Parliamentary candidate and a long-term campaigner for greater transparency in public services. Mr Odze also ran to be UKIP candidate in the 2015 London mayoral selection process. He is opposed to the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework, which could see homes built on the region's green belt. Go to www.odze.co.uk

He said: "If electe, I pledge to oppose cuts to front-line services, including keeping open the 10 police stations Labour are closing, and ensure no more downgrading of hospitals or outsourcing of social care to private companies.

"I will protect our green belt and stand up to major house-builders by scrapping the Spatial Framework and drafting a new one written by communities through genuine consultation. I will support councils, housing associations and co-op groups to build sustainable and affordable housing.

"I will confidently promote Greater Manchester to the world, bringing in trade and tourists, taking advantage of the many opportunities Brexit brings.

"I pledge to be the most open and transparent administration in all we, and our partners, do I will encourage this to be implemented across the public and private sectors. I also pledge to protect and champion whistleblowers.

"I will oppose any attempt to introduce the congestion charge and other anti-car measures. I will have a zero-based review of transport, with a view to bringing in an Oyster Card-type system, so we have a cheaper and properly integrated transport system. I will say 'no' to HS2, and demand the money is spent on local and regional transport.

"Only by voting for Shneur Odze and UKIP will you get a mayor who is running for his party, and not away from its record, and who can deliver real change."

Will Patterson (Green Party) - Mr Patterson is an IT project administrator from Wigan, has been a Green Party member since September 2014 and chairman of Wigan and Leigh Green Party since November 2014. His policies include scrapping the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework, reopen homeless shelters that closed in 2015 and extending Metrolink network. His manifesto is available at will4greenmayor.greenparty.org.uk

He said: "I have no faith in the other parties, that is why I'm standing. I'm proud to call Greater Manchester my home - I live here, I've been educated here, I've worked here and I've travelled here. This makes me the most credible of any candidate in this election, real-life experience, experience that matters; experience as a citizen of Greater Manchester.

"The Green Party has made no secret, and neither have I, about our belief that the devolution deal has many flaws. Local politicians are being asked to do more with less support. The lack of public engagement explaining what devolution is and what is means to a Greater Manchester resident is a complete disaster.

"We have to create a plan that will work for the people. The public need to feel ownership of devolution if it's to be secured in the long term.

"The Green Party is a party with a serious plan to create a society which supports everyone's needs. My plan for Greater Manchester Mayor reflects these values; a manifesto that puts the people first.

"For me, the main issues facing Manchester are those associated with housing, wages and transport.

"As a prominent campaigner across the region I'm ready to the lead on these issues in tough situations.