Tory candidate for GM Mayor announced
Sean Anstee will go up again Andy Burnham and Jane Brophy in May next Year.
Leader of Trafford Council Sean Anstee has been selected as the Conservative candidate for the Greater Manchester mayoral election.
The 29-year-old is the youngest council leader in the region, and has campaigned consistently for the Conservatives since joining the Party in 2003.
Sean, who lives in Sale, said if elected he said he would be a champion for Manchester on the world stage.
He said: “Many people in our region used to feel the Labour represented them, but that’s no longer the case. What they need is someone who will – and that’s what I’m going to try to do. This is about bold, fresh civic leadership for a city on the verge of something special.
“If elected, I would want to create a global city that works for everyone, a new bolder Greater Manchester. A Greater Manchester that is equipped to compete on the international stage, as a place for inward investment and global trade.”
As a school governor and volunteer helping Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme participants, young people are very much at the heart of his plans for the region.
He said: “It’s very important to me that our young people get the support they need to go as far as their talents can take them. We can do this by focusing on children’s services and higher level apprenticeships.”
Among other priorities if elected, Sean said he would fight to see the long-term unemployed get back into work and ensure people have access to better healthcare, including seven-day GP services. He would also campaign for a second transport fund of £3bn to pay for improvements to public transport, looking at ways to introduce simpler fare structures, so residents can take advantage of smart ticketing.
He said: “I know how the Greater Manchester Combined Authority works, how to make a difference and secure positive change for people. I have been part of the team that has put forward the case that we can have a better, stronger Greater Manchester by taking decisions locally. People expect Andy Burnham to win but that doesn’t have to be the case. This campaign is not about how people have traditionally voted. It’s about doing something new.”