Former Coronation Street actor Tracy Brabin has been confirmed as the first-ever West Yorkshire metro mayor.
Taking home 59.8% of the vote, she now lays claim to the title of first female metro mayor in England.
But many may not know that, before launching her political career, Brabin was a successful actress and television writer - appearing in a host of tv, film and theatre productions.
The politician has appeared on popular TV soaps EastEnders, Casualty, Holby City, Doctors and Emmerdale, but is best known for her role as Coronation Street's Tricia Armstrong from 1994 to 1997.
She first arrived on the Cobbles as Tricia, when her son Jamie was suspected of shoplifting at Bettabuy.
Moving to the street permanently in 1995, she lived at number 1 and famously went to prison in the show for not paying her TV license. She went on to give birth to her second son, Brad, in the Rovers Return after concieving him in a one night stand with Jack Duckworth.
Tracy Brabin was in Corrie from 1994 to 1997
Now, she will be overseeing the region of 2.3 million people with her new role giving her greater powers over transport and crime across Leeds, Calderdale, Kirklees, Bradford and Wakefield.
Thanking the people of West Yorkshire in her acceptance speech, she said: “Growing up on a council estate, I never imagined I’d be elected to represent my community in parliament let alone the first ever woman metro mayor in the country – our politics is better with women at the top table.”
"Whether you voted for me or any of the other candidates, I will work to make West Yorkshire better for you and your family. It is an honour that I just can’t put into words to be standing here today as the first-ever mayor of our wonderful, dynamic and creative West Yorkshire region."
Brabin has already been the MP Batley and Spen MP for the past five years, elected to the seat following the murder of sitting MP Jo Cox by a far-right terrorist in June 2016.
The Labour politician was confirmed as the victor in West Yorkshire's inaugural mayoral elections late on Sunday 9th May, giving a much-needed boost to Kier Starmer's opposition party following a string of losses including the 'safe' seat of Hartlepool, held by the party since 1964.
Leeds city councillor and Conservative candidate Matthew Robinson was runner-up with 40.2%, with the Yorkshire party's Bob Buxton coming in third place - ahead of both the Greens and Liberal Democrats.
Ian Forsyth/Getty Images
Her election to the new position, however, triggers a by-election in her Batley and Spen constituency - as her mayoral role's new powers over police and crime conflict with electoral commission rules for sitting MPs.
The estimated date for this, according to Labour party sources, is currently 22nd July. With the Conservatives setting their sites on Batley Spen as a key northern marginal,
In her new position as the West Yorkshire metro mayor, she should also be responsible for planning - but this election the government took one of the big powers away from the West Yorkshire mayor.
The ability to make a strategic plan and raise an infrastructure tariff has been removed from her remit, with the government saying it wants to first reform them nationally before giving them back.
What has she promised?
Job creation is her main priority, with a focus on rebuilding the local economy following job losses resulting from Covid.
In a pledge that echoes that of her Labour colleague and newly re-elected Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, she has also pledged to improve transport infrastructure.
Brabin has made commitments to bring buses back into public control and organise a new mass transit system linking together Leeds, Huddersfield, Wakefield, Halifax and Bradford.
The BBC reports that there is already £4.2bn ready for a tram system for West Yorkshire, with her new role worth an additional £1bn - making it the biggest devolution deal in the country.
Her appointment as mayor also makes her a figurehead for the region, meaning she will be expected to stand up for West Yorkshire and hold the government to account.
Given how she handled the very public pile on regarding her parliament outfit choice in early 2020, though, we expect she's got the mettle to pull this off.
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Number 10 North is officially ‘open for business’ and here’s why it’s so important for Yorkshire
Number 10 North has officially 'opened for business' this week, and Andy Burnham has now explained his key reasons for launching it.
You may remember that earlier last month, Andy Burnham revealed he had intentions to create a Number 10 North if he was to become Prime Minister, with the new base expected to be a 'dominant driver of the UK's economy' once it was officially up and running... and now, fast forward to today, Number 10 North is officially 'open for business'.
Operating from Heron House in Manchester city centre, as previously reported on by The Manc, Number 10 North will be the Government’s new 'situation room for growth'.
It also brings the 'levers' of local economic growth and devolution together under one roof for the first time ever.
With the Prime Minister expected to work from Number 10 North each week, so that decisions about the country’s economic future will no longer exclusively be made in Westminster, and with other ministers also working from there on a regular basis, the Government says the move underlines its determination to 'do things differently'.
Number 10 North has officially 'opened for business' / Credit: gov.uk (via Wikimedia Commons)
Now that Number 10 North has officially opened, Andy Burnham has explained why this move is so important for Yorkshire and the north as a whole.
"For 40 years, power and resources have been sucked into the centre, and too many communities have felt forgotten, without the attention and investment they deserve," explained Andy Burnham.
"Number 10 North will change that by putting more power into every postcode across the entire country. It will be the situation room for making Britain better, the place we use to get power out of Westminster, into the hands of people at a local level, so that they can turn things around.
"The days of Whitehall resisting devolution are over, for good."
Featured Image - The Manc Group
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Pints of Knowledge, Callum Campbell’s fastest-growing event, is coming to Leeds city centre this summer
Clementine Hall
The pub night that's packing out venues across the UK is coming to Leeds.
Let us introduce you to Pints of Knowledge, a phenomenon founded by Callum Campbell that has built a social media following of more than 160,000 people.
This is different to your average night out, it's a chance to meet new people and spark interesting conversation all in the relaxing surroundings of a pub.
The event has attracted thousands to its unique mix of expert talks, conversation and community in pubs across the UK.
Image: Supplied
And if you're looking to get in on the action then you're in luck, because Pints of Knowledge is arriving at The Wardrobe on Sunday 9 August.
So, what can you expect? From landmark legal history and the hidden pressures behind big systems to the evolving language of gaslighting and radical cinema, Sunday's Leeds programme will demonstrate exactly why Pints of Knowledge has struck such a chord with audiences across the UK.
Founder Callum Campbell, who has spent more than a decade producing live events across Britain, said bringing the concept to Leeds was the natural next step - and we're so happy he thought so.
Image: Supplied
He said: "I've always wanted to bring Pints of Knowledge to more cities across England, and Leeds has such a strong appetite for ideas and conversation. Watching this grow has been amazing, and I can't wait to bring it here.
"As more people look for experiences beyond a traditional night out, Pints of Knowledge offers something different: expert speakers, thought-provoking conversations and the chance to meet new people, all in the relaxed surroundings of a pub.
"People still love going to the pub, but they're looking for more from the experience. Pints of Knowledge is about hearing incredible stories, asking questions, meeting interesting people and leaving having learned something new."
Image: Supplied
The Pints of Knowledge programme at The Wardrobe will look like this:
12pm - Human rights lawyer Mahnoor Omer presents '10 Legal Cases that Changed History'.
2pm - Georgina Shute asks 'Why billion-pound systems are built by people who can't finish their to-do lists'.
4pm - Isobel Logan explores 'Gaslighting: The Evolution of a Concept Across Art, Relationships and Politics'.
6pm - Angelos Koutsourakis will examine 'Third Cinema, The Global South & Climate Change'.
Campbell added: "One hour you can be unpacking landmark legal cases, the next you're hearing about the psychology behind gaslighting, before finishing the day exploring cinema and climate change. That's what makes Pints of Knowledge different.
"This is just the beginning. We've seen an incredible response across the UK, and we're excited to build on that by bringing Pints of Knowledge to more cities across the country.”
Pints of Knowledge takes place at The Wardrobe in Leeds on Sunday 9 August, and you can get your tickets here.
Georgina Pellant -
11th May 2021 
