Students to quiz elected mayor candidates

Alice Peck, UBU’s Vice President for Community

Press release issued: 22 October 2012

Candidates vying to be elected as Bristol’s first directly elected mayor will be grilled on how they plan to support the city’s 50,000 students. A special mayoral hustings event will take place at the University of Bristol on Friday, 2 November, to give students and members of the public an opportunity to pose questions to the mayoral candidates.

A special mayoral hustings event will take place at the University of Bristol on Friday, 2 November, to give students and members of the public an opportunity to pose questions to the mayoral candidates.

All issues will be on the agenda but there will be a particular focus on topics which affect the student population, such as how a mayor could address housing issues and improve public transport in the city.

The hustings, taking place at 6pm in the Great Hall of the Wills Memorial Building, has been organised by the University of Bristol Students’ Union (UBU) together with the University of Bristol and community support charity Voscur.

It’s part of a wider UBU campaign to encourage students to ‘find their political voice’ and take a greater interest in local and national politics.

Alice Peck, UBU’s Vice President for Community, said: “The hustings is a chance for students to challenge and question the potential mayor of Bristol on any issue. With so many students living in Bristol, this is the opportunity to demand that the new mayor takes them seriously and is fully accountable.”

At least 14 candidates have put themselves forward to be in the running to become the first elected mayor of Bristol. Bristol voters will get their chance to have their say at the poll on 15 November.

The mayoral hustings is free but places must be booked online in advance. Questions can be submitted to mayoral-debate@bristol.ac.uk until Friday, 26 October.