Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees will put 'hat in the ring' as MP

Bristol mayor Marvin Rees says he will "put his hat in the ring" to stand as an MP for a new Bristol constituency, if it is created.

The Boundary Commission proposed carving the Kingswood ward in two, creating a new Bristol North East constituency, in November.

Plans for the new district are expected to go through Parliament in July.

Mr Rees' second term as mayor finishes in May 2024, when the post will be abolished.

Citizens voted in a referendum in May to scrap the office and switch to a committee-run council.

Mr Rees first hinted he might stand in Bristol North East to BBC Radio Bristol's John Darvall last November, and confirmed this during his latest interview on the mid-morning show on 25 May.

The current Labour city mayor said: "It's only attractive to me because it is Bristol and I have my family here, so we wouldn't have moved practically anyway,"

Mr Rees said he "wouldn't have gone around the country looking for a seat" because he "wouldn't have felt authentic running off" elsewhere to hear residents' issues and "convincing them I was interested".

The Boundary Commission announced plans to redraw the Parliamentary map, which includes the Kingswood constituency - currently held by Conservative MP Chris Skidmore who is not seeking re-election - being scrapped and cut in two.

Areas like Hanham and Warmley are moving into Jacob Rees-Mogg's North East Somerset district, while Staple Hill and Kingswood become part of Bristol North East.

The other half of the new constituency will lie within Bristol's city boundaries, including Fishponds and Eastville.

But before this can happen, the Boundary Commission has to present its final recommendations to Parliament, with the changes taking place in the autumn following the required changes in law.

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