Mayor of Bristol issues warning to successors in final public speech
Marvin Rees gave his final public address on Wednesday night, before his role ceases to exist
Last updated 13th Mar 2024
Marvin Rees used his final speech as Mayor of Bristol tonight (13 March) to deliver a warning to those coming next that criticism is easy, leading is much harder.
Mr Rees will leave his role in May after two terms as Mayor.
At the same time the role itself will cease to exist, after Bristol voted to scrap the Mayoral model during a referendum in 2022.
Speaking in public for the final time during an event at the Bristol Beacon, Mr Rees said those taking up the mantle of leading the city will find their new role much harder.
A warning to Bristol's incoming leaders?
Following the upcoming local elections in May, Bristol City Council will once again be run by committees, which has not been the case for more than a decade.
Opposition councillors during Marvin's tenure successfully campaigned for the change two years ago, arguing the Mayoral model was undemocratic because it gave them no say in major decisions.
Tonight however, Mr Rees attempted to outline the significance of the job they will take on.
"We have been unapologetically ambitious for Bristol," he said.
"When I came in, the political debate was dominated by car parking and fun Sundays.
"Today, the city talks about inclusion, homes and growth, billion pound regeneration programmes, carbon reduction and the climate challenge, bio-diversity, race and class, and building a future city...
"We need to take Bristol’s hopes and potential seriously.
"The people of this city must be prioritised as people with real lives, not just votes to be harvested.
"We also need leaders who understand Bristol is a collective act.
"It’s not just about the council."
Most notably, Mr Rees ended his speech by reading in full a famous quote by then US President Teddy Roosevelt, which came to be known as "The Man in the Arena" speech.
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better," he said.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly, who errs, who comes short again and again.
"Because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasm, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory or defeat.”
Notable moments
Following his speech, in which Mr Rees outlined what he views as his achievements and highlighted how they came during a period of upheaval also featuring Brexit, the Coronavirus Pandemic and war in Ukraine, a question and answer session was held, led by the historian David Olusoga.
Asked about the summer of 2020 when the statue of slave trader Edward Colston was torn down in the city centre, Mr Rees described meeting the man who organised a far right rally near Bristol's Cenotaph that week, to find out about their grievances.
"He said, 'I don't get this white privilege'," Marvin said.
"I was able to say to him, 'listen...the thing is Nigel, all things being equal white skin gives you an advantage.'"
"But, I also recognise my mum (who is white) did not lead a privileged life and it's true lots of white people don't and you didn't.
"And he said, 'oh I understand.'
"It was a nice moment.
"It's difficult to show what you prevented happening, but we didn't end up with the level of violence that they had in London, for example.
"I met some of the guys, I said I want to know what's going on and that was positive.
"I was told that there was chat on some of the Facebook sites that, we met the Mayor, he's listening and understands us and the fact that he was a black, mixed race guy, he went to meet and listen and understand, probably mattered."
The mass transit idea and "Bristol ambition"
During his time as Mayor Mr Rees has passionately campaigned for a mass transit system in Bristol, saying some of it must be underground for it to be a success.
However some other politicians, most notably West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris say it is an unrealistic idea that will not happen, because of the likely cost.
Progress on the idea is currently stalled after Mr Norris vetoed further exploration of it during a meeting of the West of England Combined Authority last year.
"I've just been shocked at how people go out of their way to say this is rubbish," he said.
"No, it's the best.
"The question of cost is another point, why would you say you can't have it until the evidence tells you, you can't...
"Technically it's deliverable, financially it's deliverable...and yet already...the city has talked itself out of a mass transit system.
"I find that quite surprising and absolutely remarkable."
He also talked about the creation of a new Channel Four office in Bristol.
"I woke up in the morning a few years ago and read in a newsletter that Channel Four was relocating and the article was talking about Coventry," he said.
"So I get in my office and I said, 'hey, Channel Four are moving, what are we doing?'
"The literal response I had was, 'yeah we won't get it, so we haven't raised it.'"
Channel Four did open a hub in Bristol after a successful campaign by the council, in 2020.
Marvin's "hopes" for Bristol
"My hope for Bristol is that it continues to be ambitious," he said.
"But it's the right kind of ambition...an ambition to be inclusive and sustainable.
"And I hope that it can continue to attract the investment that's needed."
Marvin Rees will remain in office as Mayor of Bristol until 2 May 2024, when Bristol will vote for a new City Council.