New city political party seeks mayoral referendum

Rita Patel stood as an independent mayoral candidate in May's election

A new political party has been launched in Leicester and wants to offer voters a referendum on the future of the city's elected mayor role.

Former Labour councillor Rita Patel has established One Leicester which she said would aim to build a "better tomorrow" for the city.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service she felt politics was "broken" nationally and locally.

Ms Patel unsuccessfully stood as independent mayoral candidate in May.

She fought the election campaign saying she would abolish the mayoral role but was defeated by Labour's Sir Peter Soulsby who won a fourth term leading Leicester City Council.

Ms Patel, who formerly served as an assistant mayor to Sir Peter but quit the Labour Party in March after she was suspended for questioning the mayoral role, said her new party was "on a mission" to serve Leicester.

She said: "Our politics, not just in Leicester, but in the rest of the country is broken. Recently one of Westminster's youngest MPs quit politics because she said parliament was toxic.

"I can tell you, this isn't just unique to parliament. Coming from different political strands we believe that it is important that we should have a new approach to politics in the city, one that is not party political based or structured in class-based ideology, and not opposing everything that the others do.

"But one that is based on local issues designed to help local people. I believe very passionately that this is the way forward for our city."