He has been an Avon county councillor, a Bristol councillor, a Member of Parliament and now Stephen Williams hopes to become the West of England metro mayor.

Two years after being beaten into third place in the Bristol West constituency he had represented as an MP for a decade, Stephen Williams will be standing as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the newly created job.

Following a series of party hustings and a vote among local members, the former local government minister secured the Lib Dem nomination ahead of former Bristol lord mayor Simon Cook.

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“It’s an honour to be selected,” Williams told party members following the final hustings meeting in Bristol.

“I am determined to win this election and deliver real change for people in the West of England.”

Williams will campaign to keep the UK in the single market, and said that his main priority as metro mayor will be continuing economic prosperity, but by tackling the lack of affordable housing “and the woeful state of our public transport”.

He added: “This election is a clear choice between me and the inexperienced Conservative candidate.

“Our region needs the strongest possible leadership and with my experience, I can offer just that.”

Earlier this week, Williams spoke at the anti-Trump rally on College Green:

The inaugural West of England mayoral election will take place on May 4, 2017, with the mayor representing an area comprising Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

The Libs Dems are the last major party to confirm their candidate.

Competing for the Conservatives will be South Glos councillor Tim Bowles; for the Greens, Darren Hall, who came second in the Bristol West parliamentary election in 2015 ahead of Williams; and for Labour, parish councillor and NHS manager Lesley Mansell.

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