The Conservative Party is set to pick its East Midlands Mayor candidate "quicker" than first planned after several Labour figures came forward for the role this week. Four people have officially declared that they are seeking to be the Labour candidate for the new role, with the first elections for it due to be held next May.
Former Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping and the BBC's former Political Editor for the East Midlands, John Hess, were the first to launch their Labour campaign this week. They were soon followed by former Labour MP Claire Ward and the former deputy leader of Nottingham City Council, Adele Williams.
More names could still come forward for Labour, but the party is planning to have its candidate picked by August. The Conservatives were initially planning to have their candidate chosen by September, but one leading figure in the party now says the decision should come sooner.
