Help us keep the lights on Support us
The Bristol Cable

Listen: Bristol Unpacked with Ellie King, the Labour councillor coming out to bat for the mayoral system and take on critics

Part two of four episodes in a mini-series dedicated to understanding what’s at stake in Bristol’s upcoming mayoral referendum on 5 May.

Listen: Bristol Unpacked with Neil Maggs

The city’s Labour administration says this referendum is an expensive distraction from the big issues the city faces. But have they brought it upon themselves? Opponents say the referendum is due to failure to engage with opposition councillors and a tendency to handpick who is involved in city governance, including too much influence of business.

Ellie King, Labour’s cabinet member for Public Health and Communities says that the current mayoral model has delivered for the city in a way that the alternative committee system never could through clear leadership of the city as a whole. Listen in with Neil to find out from a leading voice in the pro-mayoral camp.

Keep the Lights On

Investigative journalism strengthens democracy – it’s a necessity, not a luxury.

The Cable is Bristol’s independent, investigative newsroom. Owned and steered by more than 2,600 members, we produce award-winning journalism that digs deep into what’s happening in Bristol.

We are on a mission to become sustainable – will you help us get there?

Join now

What makes us different?

Comments

Post a comment

Mark if this comment is from the author of the article

By posting a comment you agree to our Comment Policy.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related content

The Greens’ UBI proposal doesn’t go far enough

A council motion argues for a UBI for Bristol's arts sector. But there are more radical ways of rethinking work and income

Listen: Bristol Unpacked with Green councillor Ani Townsend on art, inequality and the case for a universal basic income

Should the state give people free money? This week Ani and Neil discuss how a universal basic income would work, why supporting the arts is a class issue, and whether ‘eco-populist’ Green leader Zack Polanski can take on the traditional parties – and Reform.

Surveillance isn’t safeguarding: Think Family and the fight for transparency

Bristol City Council says its mass data gathering tool is designed to protect, not profile the 55,000 families it monitors. But is it pushing school children into the criminal justice system?

The destructive juggernaut of Black Friday reminds us why we should resist the advertising industry

Co-founder of Adblock Bristol, Robbie Gillett, reminds us of the true cost behind Amazon’s Black Friday, and how advertising shits in your head

‘Crying out for radical change’: Bristol’s new Green councillor on defecting from Labour

We sit down with British-Palestinian councillor for Frome Vale, Alsayed Al-Magrabi, to discuss his his journey into politics, and his defection to the Greens

Bristol council paying huge sums of money to rent homes from banned landlord

Back in 2022, Bristol City Council obtained a five-year court order barring landlord Naomi Knapp from renting out her homes. Now, it’s spending hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money to use her properties as emergency accommodation.

Join our newsletter

Get the essential stories you won’t find anywhere else

Subscribe to the Cable newsletter to get our weekly round-up direct to your inbox every Saturday

Join our newsletter

Subscribe to the Cable newsletter

Get our latest stories & essential Bristol news
sent to your inbox every Saturday morning