Mick outlines five-point plan for South Yorkshire

Mick Bower

Yorkshire Party candidate Mick Bower has set out an ambitious five-point plan if elected mayor of the Sheffield City Region in next month’s election.

Mick, who has been lobbying energetically in the metro area, promises to: campaign for One Yorkshire devolution; donate half his mayoral salary to youth work; fix local buses; rebuild communities and tackle street homelessness.

As has been widely reported, Mick’s leading rival, Labour’s Dan Jarvis, has been embroiled in a dispute with his Party’s ruling body. Meanwhile, Mick has been able to focus fully on the campaign and has been chatting to voters across south Yorkshire to hear their concerns and hopes.

In his election leaflet – that is going to about 1 million voters in South Yorkshire – Mick, from Whiston, Rotherham, answers two key questions about the Party.

WHAT IS THE YORKSHIRE PARTY?

“It is a rapidly growing political party demanding an end to Westminster centred politics. Both Conservative and Labour incompetence has left Yorkshire lagging behind on almost every level. Only the Yorkshire Party is offering an ambitious vision to revive our democracy and investment in transport, health, jobs and our children’s futures.

“Yorkshire has a larger population than Scotland, an economy twice that of Wales but the powers of neither. By establishing a Yorkshire assembly we aim to build a stronger Yorkshire within a fairer United Kingdom.”

WHY DOES YOUR VOTE FOR THE YORKSHIRE PARTY MATTER?

“Yorkshire Party campaigning last year forced Doncaster and Barnsley councils to hold a referendum between the unambitious Sheffield City Region or giving more powers to Yorkshire as a whole. Over 85% of voters backed a united Yorkshire.

“Yet the Westminster government and Sheffield Council refused to listen. Every vote for the Yorkshire Party is one more nail in the coffin of the weak Sheffield City Region and one more voice calling for more powers for a united Yorkshire.”

Calling on electors to back him, Mick says they would be helping him to “stand up for Yorkshire”.

MICK’S PLEDGES IN FULL

CAMPAIGN FOR ONE YORKSHIRE:  Doncaster and Barnsley voted against Sheffield City Region, it is weak, unambitious and divisive. Let Yorkshire work as one!

DONATE HALF MY SALARY: supporting youth organisations that help children and young people in our community achieve their potential

FIX SOUTH YORKSHIRE BUSES: introducing a South Yorkshire Oyster Card, fixed price ‘hoppers’ and making companies accept each other’s tickets

REBUILD OUR COMMUNITIES: prioritising local firms over big business when awarding contracts and skills training funding

TACKLE STREET HOMELESSNESS: working with community groups instead of funding those who profit from the misery of others.

Mick Bower, right, with volunteers at Sheffield’s The Sunday Breakfast Club, a charity working to help the homeless, in February. Afterwards, he said: “It was a real pleasure to spend time at the The Sunday Breakfast Club this morning, 36 hot breakfasts served. These are the people we need to listen to if we are serious about ending homelessness – the ones who are actually out there making a difference.”

Nominations for the election close at 4pm on Friday, April 6, 2018 with all names published on April 9. Voting is on Thursday, May 3 with the result due to be announced the following day.

Voting takes place in the areas of the four councils – Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield – that make up South Yorkshire.

The reported 1 million eligible electors must register to vote in the mayoral poll by Tuesday April 17.