Liberal Democrats 'confident' of winning first metro mayor in Hull and East Yorkshire
The new authority combines Hull City Council, which the Lib Dems control, and the East Riding of Yorkshire, where they are the second party behind the Conservatives.
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Hide AdOverall, the Liberal Democrats have almost double the number of councillors across the region as Labour and the Tories, with insiders sounding quietly confident.
Ever since his party’s excellent general election in July, Sir Ed has been eyeing up this mayoral race next May.
“We’re going to take it incredibly seriously,” he told The Yorkshire Post.
“We’re the only party that can straddle the two [Hull and the East Riding] and it will be really interesting to get another significant Liberal Democrat elected so we’re going to take that very seriously.”
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He moved to Hull in 2000 to attend university and has never left, now living in the north of the city with his family.
He became a councillor when he was still a student, explaining that he is “driven by a sense of public service”.
He rose to become council leader in 2022 after the Lib Dems turfed out Labour.
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Hide AdWith a wry smile he told The Yorkshire Post he believes the Liberal Democrats are in “pole position” to win the mayoralty.
“In the last set of local elections across the patch we’ve come top in terms of vote share,” he explained.
“We go into this confident, we know it’s going to be a hard-fought campaign but we think we can win it and elect the Liberal Democrats’ first metro mayor, on top of what was a particularly good general election a few months ago.”
Coun Ross believes the election is between his party and Labour.
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Hide Ad“For years the Conservatives have taken our area for granted and are out of the race this time,” he cited.


“Their terrible record running the country is still remembered by residents right across our area.
“Now, this new Labour Government just isn’t listening to the concerns of residents right across Hull and the East Riding.”
He cited cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment and changes to inheritance tax relief for farmers as ways of governing “by spreadsheet”.
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Hide AdCoun Ross was one of the architects of the devolution deal, which will mean the whole of Yorkshire is covered by metro mayors.
East Riding of Yorkshire leader Coun Anne Handley signed the agreement alongside Coun Ross earlier in the year, and she will be running against him for the Conservatives.
The Labour Party is expected to announce its candidate in the coming weeks.
“It’s very much about what is to come for Hull and East Yorkshire, it feels like we’re at a real moment,” he said.
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Hide AdThe new Labour government has promised billions of pounds of investment in the Humberside freeport, which is the busiest in the country, for a new carbon capture storage scheme.
Earlier in the month, Sir Keir Starmer announced the Siemens Gamesa factory in Hull will supply wind turbine blades for Scottish Power in a contract worth more than £1 billion.
But Coun Ross believes with a mayor in place, even more investment will come into Hull and East Yorkshire.
“It’s a real opportunity to be seized,” he explained, “I want to be part of that and that’s why I have put myself forward to be mayor.
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Hide Ad“I think this is an incredible part of the country, it has a tremendous amount to offer and with a mayor we can actually make the very most of this region.”
He said he would look to bring jobs and investment to the area as “undoubtedly this region is crying out for that”.
“We have seen investment of course over the years but we know there is so much more that could and should have come this way.
“It’s about bringing more opportunity to this region, so people don’t always have to go elsewhere to get the jobs they might want.
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Hide AdCoun Ross also said he thinks that the mayor can be an important “figurehead to shout for the whole region”.
“We have too often felt like an overlooked left behind area, so to have someone whose job it is to go and bang the drum for Hull and East Yorkshire is incredibly important,” he explained.
“I think it’s really about putting this patch on the map and seeing it as a place to come and do business.”
Coun Ross may feel he is in pole position at the moment, but we’ll have to wait until May to see who crosses the finish line first.
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