In the upcoming West of England mayoral election, the Green Party has emerged as the narrow favorite, according to the latest bookies’ odds. With the race neck and neck between the Greens and Labour, voters are gearing up to cast their ballots on Thursday, May 1, to elect a mayor to lead the West of England Combined Authority, with influential powers over transport, housing, and adult education, including the reform of the bus network.
Ladbrokes and Coral have announced odds of 5/4 for Mary Page, the Green candidate, while William Hill places her at 2/1, indicating strong support for her candidacy. In contrast, the odds for Helen Godwin, the Labour candidate, winning are also positioned at 2/1, as reported by BristolLive. Notably, the Liberal Democrats are at 4/1, according to Oddschecker, while Reform UK, the Conservatives, and independent candidate Ian Scott are placed at 5/1, 16/1, and 66/1, respectively.
While no public opinion polling has been conducted focusing specifically on the West of England, the Greens' victory in the local elections in Bristol last year, along with their success in the general election in Bristol Central, suggest a rising momentum. Conversely, Labour’s national popularity has experienced a decline due to contentious policies like the increase in National Insurance contributions, possibly impacting the upcoming election.
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The regional dynamics also play a significant role, as Labour secured the majority of votes in the region during the previous general election, holding six MPs, while the Liberal Democrats and the Greens have three and one MP respectively. The varied political landscape sets the stage for an intriguing electoral showdown on May 1.
The full list of candidates in the election is as follows:
- Mary Page (Green)
- Helen Godwin (Labour)
- Liberal Democrats
- Reform UK
- Conservatives
- Ian Scott (Independent)