A former rough sleeper who has battled mental health issues and now champions against the stigma has become Bristol’s lord mayor – and then got engaged minutes later to his longtime partner. Labour backbench Cllr Paul Goggin promised to “recognise the unrecognised” during his year in the historic, ceremonial role as the city’s “first citizen”.
He was sworn in during the annual full council meeting of Bristol City Council on Tuesday, May 9, and, during the interval, proposed to Deborah Griffiths, his girlfriend of 17 years, in the lord mayor’s parlour at City Hall before returning to tell the chamber she had said yes. The Hartcliffe & Withywood ward councillor succeeds Green Cllr Paula O’Rourke who becomes deputy lord mayor.
In an acceptance speech full of self-deprecating, wry humour he said: “We’ve had a lord mayor in Bristol since 1216. So what is a lord mayor? I guess they’re normally well respected, rich in cultural capital, experts in etiquette, socially connected, genteel, erudite, skilful, charismatic orators with real gravitas… I’ll get me coat.
