Metro Mayors should be SELECTED, not elected!

I saw your interview, Elizabeth with Liam Byrne on Friday's 'Midlands Today'.  Liam is incredibly eloquent and slick in his answers.  I admire these professional politicians for their instant, clever answers that I find quite impossible to catch them out on.  Until your interview!

Liam was either being disingenuous or worse or, most surprisingly, mistaken after four years, as to the powers of the Metro Mayor.  Liam, if elected, is unable to do any of the things he spoke about in your interview.  He is no more than a representative, a public relations man and, as respected journalist Jonathan Walker of the 'Birmingham Post' wrote, a "figurehead" for the Combined Authority.  A Combined Authority that also has a Chief Executive, Deborah Cadman on more than double Andy's salary, I believe!  Here is my evidence:-

I've just been reading up about the Bristol Mayor Marvin, who is the Bristol City Council leader but without that title.  It is the Metro Mayors, like Andy Street for us, who have no official powers and have to work alongside the council leaders in the W Mids Combined Authority.  Similarly, the West of England Combined Authority that also has a Metro Mayor as a figurehead without any formal, official powers.

from:    https://thebristolmayor.com/role-of-the-mayor/

"The role of (Bristol) Mayor replaced the previous Council Leader and leads the city council and its full range of services – from social care to waste collections. The Mayor also performs a broader role representing the interests of Bristol’s citizens on a national and international level.

"In May 2017 Tim Bowles was elected as the first West of England Combined Authority Mayor (commonly referred to as a ‘Metro Mayor’) and will work alongside Marvin Rees and the council leaders for South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset" (my emphasis).

I think that it is unsatisfactory that all participants endanger themselves and, possibly, spread the virus for an election for a Mayor that has no powers and is no more influential than you or I!  Shortly after he was elected in May 2017, Andy volunteered the information in a BBC 'Today' interview that he had "no formal powers".  Andy has the integrity, the honesty to say that.

In my opinion, Metro Mayors should be selected in an open, fair and transparent process.  Not elected!

I would like you, Elizabeth to challenge Liam to be as equally honourable as Andy, and to no longer mislead and exaggerrate as he did on Friday evening in talking to you.

With every good wish