Marvin Rees has confirmed he is “putting his hat in the ring” to stand as an MP for Bristol North East – even though the new constituency has not yet been created. The current Labour city mayor 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”.
But not only is Mr Rees’s nomination as the party’s official candidate far from a done deal, there are several other factors to overcome. The Boundary Commission announced in November that the Kingswood constituency – currently held by Conservative MP Chris Skidmore who is not seeking reelection – was being scrapped and would be carved in two as the Parliamentary map is redrawn.
Traditionally Tory areas like Hanham and Warmley are moving into Jacob Rees-Mogg’s North East Somerset seat while stronger Labour heartlands such as Staple Hill and Kingswood become part of Bristol North East, with the other half of the new constituency lying within Bristol’s city boundaries, including left-leaning strongholds Fishponds and Eastville. But before this can happen, the Boundary Commission has to present its final recommendations to Parliament, expected in July, with the changes taking place in the autumn following the required changes in law.
