Former Peterborough MP to run for mayor in 2025

Former Peterborough MP Paul Bristow lost his seat in the general election in July

A former MP will stand as the Conservative candidate in next year's Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayoral election.

Paul Bristow represented Peterborough for the Tories from 2019 until he lost his Commons seat to Labour's Andrew Pakes by 118 votes at the general election in July.

He said he hoped to replace Labour's Mayor Nik Johnson, who has run the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority since 2021, with a campaign focusing on improving road and rail links and securing jobs, investment and growth for the region.

"I have the campaigning record to win and I know what I want to achieve," said Bristow.

"Different parts of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have a wide range of opportunities, and we need someone with the skills to be able to pull them all together.

“This election is an opportunity to have a mayor who matters and gets result for local people across the area."

Nik Johnson won the mayoral election for Labour in 2021, beating the incumbent Conservative James Palmer

He was selected as the Tory mayoral candidate by party members across the combined authority area, the Conservatives said.

While MP, he was sacked from his role as a ministerial aide, after calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, and had campaigned on fly-tipping and the loss of major stores on the high street.

The combined authority was set up in 2017 and it works with the seven local district, county and unitary councils, and with business groups and universities.

Its responsibilities include overseeing transport and digital connectivity infrastructure, employment skills, economic growth, and housing strategy and provision.

Mayor Johnson confirmed he intends to stand for re-election during his hot-seat appearance on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire earlier this month.