Luciana Berger: Second MP enters Mersey mayor race

Luciana Berger has been an MP for six years

A second Labour MP from Liverpool has entered the race to be the first Metro Mayor for the Liverpool City Region.

Luciana Berger, MP for Liverpool Wavertree, follows neighbouring MP Steve Rotheram (Walton), who revealed his candidacy last week.

Liverpool's directly elected mayor Joe Anderson also announced his plans to stand on Thursday.

The contest for the Labour nomination is due in the summer before the election takes place next May.

Ms Berger, shadow minister for mental health, has been MP for Wavertree since 2010.

The Liverpool City Region covers five Merseyside councils - Liverpool, St Helens, Knowsley, Sefton and Wirral - as well as Halton in Cheshire.

The Metro Mayor will be in charge of decisions on a number of issues, including economic development and transport.