Bristol votes to scrap directly elected mayoral role

Marvin Rees said the referendum had been a ‘distraction’ from more important issues, such as the cost of living crisis. Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

Bristol’s Labour mayor has suffered a blow after the city voted to end the role. Marvin Rees, the first person of black African heritage to become a directly elected mayor in a major European city, will serve out his current term, after which Bristol will return to a committee system.

Opposition politicians, who argued that the role invested too much power in one person, hailed the result of the referendum on the mayoral role as a chance to reset democracy in the city.