West Midlands Mayor debate live as your questions put to six candidates

Recap...

Here is a roundup of today's hustings hosted by BirminghamLive. Thank you for joining us and for submitting your questions.

Here are the closing remarks of our Mayoral candidates...

Siobhan Harper-Nunes (Green Party)

• She has spent her career supporting community organisations - she wants to give more funding to these organisations to 'make sure no one is left behind'
• "We're already seeing the effects of climate change - we need action now," she said.
• The WMCA 'makes decisions without input from residents' - she wants to give everyone a say and be a Mayor who 'listens to you.'

Richard Parker (Labour)

• He has spent all his adult life living and working in the West Midlands - he knows 'what is broken and needs to be fixed'
• Has brought in over a £1 billion of investment into the region and says region has gone 'backwards' under Andy Street
• He will create 150,000 new jobs and apprentiships and revistalise high streets to give them a sustainable future
• He will build 20,000 new social homes and will bring buses back into public control

Andy Street (Conservatives)

• He said 100,000 jobs have been created in region since Covid and that he will transform the region's transport network - 'without charging anyone a penny'
• He said the election was about 'trust' - and that his record shows he will deliver change and further government investment
• He is a leader who 'speaks up and puts the region first and abover anything else.'

Sunny Virk (Liberal Democrats)

• The 'simple fact' is both Labour and the Tories have failed the people of the West Midlands - voting for either of them is voting for 'disaster', he said
• Local councillors don't trust Andy Street, he said - the Lib Dems are the only party that can 'bring change and build bridges'
• He is not looking to bring in 'big projects' but to make sure ordinary people are heard and to tackle poverty by working with businesses to bring in investment
• He will work with hospitals to prioritise mental health to 'treat it the same as physical health' - and will bring more social housing that works for people

Elaine Williams (ReformUK)

• "Is there anything that is not broken in the region," she asks, as she lists Labour and Conervative 'failures'
• 'We haven't been able to stop the boats,' which was having an impact on housing in the region - and she wants more social housing to tackle this and make sure all accomodation is up to a good standard
• Travel should be fully-integrated and we need to 'invest in our town centres' to create jobs

Akhmed Yakoob (Independent)

• He says he is from a deprived background and struggled through the education system but defied the odds to become a solicitor
• He has launched a successful business and used it to 'stand up for human rights'
• The West Midlands is the 'child poverty capital of the UK' which he says is 'shameful' - he speaks to people who 'can not afford food' and live in temporary accomodation that puts children at risk
• He wants to help make homes more affordable to the 'ordinary person' and will make sure social housing is built as part of any new developments

Andy Street asks Richard Parker about the cost of bus franchising...

Richard Parker responds: "I'm an accountant... I haven't come to my view on bus franchsing without understanding the benefits."

He said he had worked with an advisory team who say the transition costs are about £25 million - but would bring added benefits. He says there is a costed plan which would help Brummies get around the city more efficiently.

"The cost of doing it here is similar to the costs in Liverpool," he said. Andy Street called on Richard Parker to publish a full breakdown of the costs of the proposed scheme.

Quickfire questions....

1) Rank our public transport out of 10...

Siobhan Harper-Nunes (Green Party) 4

Richard Parker (Labour) 3 - it's not working for the people he is speaking to

Andy Street (Conservatives) 8 - he doesn't have a car and uses it all the time

Sunny Virk (Liberal Democrats) 5

Elaine Williams (ReformUK) 4

Akhmed Yakoob (Independent) 3

2) Would you demand HS2 goes to Manchester?

Siobhan Harper-Nunes (Green Party) No - it would not be a priority

Richard Parker (Labour) No - he wants all transport resources made available to be invested here

Andy Street (Conservatives) Yes

Sunny Virk (Liberal Democrats) Yes - but not at the costs of people's livlehoods

Elaine Williams (ReformUK) No - it destroys the enviroment and is a 'vanity project'

Akhmed Yakoob (Independent) Yes

3) Who is your favourite musician?

Siobhan Harper-Nunes (Green Party) Aretha Franklin and Chaka Khan

Richard Parker (Labour) Joe Strummer, The Clash, Massive Attack, Talking Heads

Andy Street (Conservatives) Ozzy Osborne - last gig he attended was Elbow

Sunny Virk (Liberal Democrats) UB40 and others...

Elaine Williams (ReformUK) Refused to answer - 'too many to list'

Akhmed Yakoob (Independent) Cat Stevens

4) What is the one personal item you would take on a deserted island?

Siobhan Harper-Nunes (Green Party) - her phone to listen to music and audiobooks (and a charger, of course)

Richard Parker (Labour) - My ipad - assuming he can get Wifi

Andy Street (Conservatives) - My running shoes

Sunny Virk (Liberal Democrats) - My dog

Elaine Williams (ReformUK) - The Bible

Akhmed Yakoob (Independent) - The Qu'ran

Question to Siobhan Harper-Nunes - At a recent hustings you admitted you didn’t really want the job of regional mayor. Why are you here and why should anyone vote for you?

Siobahn decided to run for mayor because she was 'tired' of the rise in child poverty and the lack of action on climate. She said: "I may not want the job, but I'm tired of sitting in front of the television and shouting about these issues. If I got the job, I would do a fantastic job and my first priroity would be to address inequality."

Question for Elaine Williams - Do you agree with your ReformUK party colleague Lee Anderson that you need to help ‘take our country back’ - and who from?

She said Lee was talking about the 'erosion' of British culture. She wanted to ensure the UK became a soverign nation and left the EU.

Question for Richard Parker - How can you convince voters in the West Midlands that you will put them first, and not your party?

Richard Parker said that under the Tory government and Mayor, the region has been going 'backwards.' He said: "I am looking forward to working with a Labour government that fully backs my plans on buses and social housing. If I'm elected, we can hit the ground running and deliiver for the region. There might be times we disagree, but I will always put the people of the West Midlands first."

Question for Akhmed Yakoob: "Do you support the actions of pro Palestine activists who are targeting MPs and councillors in their own homes?"

Akhmed said he did not support Palestine protestors campaigning outside the homes of politicians. But he said protesting was a democratic right which people she be free to exercise.

He continued: "The situation in Gaza is very dear to me - and both the Tories and Labour have failed on this issue. The public want peace and a ceasefire."

Question for Andy Street - "You’ve gone out of your way to deny your Conservative affiliation in this campaign, Yet you’ve spoken of being a proud Conservative. If you are re-elected what hope is there of you helming a united West Midlands?"

Andy Street said: "I am a proud Conservative - and I have been for 40 years." But this election was about choosing a person they can trust to stand up for the region.

He said all of his decision have been 'cross party' and he can bring together different parties to help bring change. He said he was convinced a Labour government would work to support him, if elected.

Question for Sunny Virk - "You’ve got no hope of winning - so would it be better for you to tell your supporters which of Richard and Andy to vote for instead?"

Sunny Virk (Liberal Democrats) said voters have a choice and can change their minds. He said: "If you're out there and think you've only got two choices, you haven't. You've got a third choice and real choice in the Liberal Democrats who have been winning elections up and down the country."

How would you protect Birmingham’s history and cultural assets?

Siobhan Harper-Nunes (Green Party) said culture and heritage was the 'beating heart' of the region - with each town in the West Midlands having their own histories and assets. She would work with external partners to ensure local and regional treasures are preserved.

Richard Parker (Labour) said it was 'so important' to protect cultural assets, but also to promote their usage going forward to secure their futures. He will put together a register of heritage assets across the region to understand how to support them going forward and make sure they are sustainable. He said he wants to revitalise high streets across the region and has backed calls to protect Station Street in Birmingham city centre.

Andy Street (Conservatives) said he led the campaign around the Crooked House pub which will be built back 'brick by brick.' He said he will work to protect The Crown in Station Street, as well as the Electric cinema and the Old Rep. He said he will put his 'money where his mouth is' and protect heritage.

Sunny Virk (Liberal Democrats) said he would set aside money in a budget to support libraries which are a 'cultural asset.' He called on the Electric Cinema to be listed and protected. He wants existing buildings, like Smallbrook Queensway, to be protected and repurposed rather than knocked down. "I want people living and working in city centres," he said.

Elaine Williams (ReformUK) said she would work to protect our history which was 'rapidly' being lost. "We also need to protect our open spaces and ensure people have access to them," she said.

Akhmed Yakoob (Independent) said he would fund and support more heritage projects.

What was your role in the crisis at Birmingham city council? How would you make it better?

Andy Street (Conservatives) said 'people are hurting' over cuts to the council. When news of the bankruptcy broke, he worked to 'reassure' people that while the council had gone 'bust' - the city was still open for business. He says the WMCA stepped in to take over some projects the council could no longer afford to run. He said he could not have prevented the crisis, which was brought about by the council's owns failings. He said the problem was 'unique to Birmingham' and that other council in the region were in better states.

Siobhan Harper-Nunes (Green Party) said 'bad decisions' made in recent times should not be hoist upon people who are already suffereing from the cost of living crisis. She would lobby central government to support residents financially while an investigation into the crisis is undertaken.

Richard Parker (Labour) it was not just Labour councils that are going bust. He said there was £4m underfunding of councils across the country. "What's happened in Birmingham, was a result of mistakes," he said. "But the government has taken a billion pounds of funding out of the council over the past decade which has done significant damage to our poorest communities." He said he would 'stand up for local authroties' in the region and work with Whitehall to get more stable funding for local councils.

Sunny Virk (Liberal Democrats) said the bankruptcy was caused by the Labour council and would 'hurt' local residents - particularly SEND families. He wants a public inquiry into the crisis and would work with other councils to make sure this never happens again. He wants to get Birmingham out of the hands of government commisioners. He said: 'I'm not about the big projects, I'm about keeping the West Midlands working and running well."

Elaine Williams (ReformUK) said we needed to look at money spent across the authorities. She wants regular checks and inspections on all other local authorities to protect other councils from financial crisis.

Akhmed Yakoob (Independent) said the crisis was a 'failure of political leadership.' The UK is one of the richest economies in the world, and we find money for war, but not for the poor.

What is your answer to Birmingham’s housing crisis? How many social houses will you build?

Siobhan Harper-Nunes (Green Party) said social and affordable housing was 'at the core' of her priorities. Existing in existing housing stock and retrofitting homes will reduce costs and help the environment. She said too many people were homeless and living in cold, damp homes. She said we currently have the 'worst housing stock in Europe'.

Richard Parker (Labour) said the current Mayor has delivered only 46 units of social housing which was 'unforgivable'. He has committed to a minumum of 2000 new units every year - but this is dependent on a new Labour government in Westminster. He said he would 'make a difference' in office.

Andy Street (Conservatives) said he will build 8,500 new social homes in the region. He said Birmingham City Council was 'stepping away' from building more social houses. He will also work to improve the 38,000 homes currently deemed not inhabitable in Birmingham.

Sunny Virk (Liberal Democrats) said 17,500 are living in temporary accomodation because consecutive Labour and Tory government have failed to deliver adequate social housing. He said only the Lib Dems can get people out of poverty and into good housing.

Elaine Williams (ReformUK) said it was a 'disgrace' to hear how many people were living in hotels. She said social housing needed to be built 'fast'. She has spoken to people who have been forced to move back in with their families due to high rents.

Akhmed Yakoob (Independent) has many clients as a defense lawyer who approach him trying to get out of temporary housing. He said the population across the West Midlands was rising and 15,000 must be built across the region. He wants to end the practice of 'land banking' and use more brownfield sites to build homes. He is also support retrofitting homes.

Who is Andy Street?

He is the incumbent mayor and in post for seven years, vying for a third term. He has pledged his focus is on creating new jobs and apprenticeships, delivering better transport and providing more homes. He added that he wants to champion the region’s interests and promote pride in the West Midlands and all its communities.

Read our extended interview with the mayor in two parts here

Andy Street's most revealing interview ever as he fights to remain mayor

Andy Street tells 'almost' all on religion, drugs and 'hiding' his Conservatism

He will officially launch his manifesto on Thursday but says the top three promises are:

1. Grow the West Midlands economy faster than London.
2. Deliver a world-class transport system, using the £6.1bn war-chest we’ve secured.
3. Build more homes whilst protecting our green spaces, and triple the rate of social-housing development.

Visit his website here: https://www.andystreet.org.uk

What would you do to push the West Midlands up the Whitehall agenda?

Siobhan Harper-Nunes (Green Party) said she would build partnerships with the government to make sure the needs of our region are heard. She said she would elevate community voices in the corridors of power.

Richard Parker (Labour) said he would work with key stakeholders to create a 'unified sense of purpose' to take to Whitehall. He said every 6-8 weeks he would meet with ministers to talk about the region. Parker has met with the Shadow Cabinet to talk about how best to bring funding to the region under a Labour government.

Andy Street (Conservatives) said 'a lot of progress has been made' including £10billion of investment in the region. He said other institutions like the BBC and other private businesses were also important to bring funding into the region.

Sunny Virk (Liberal Democrats) said it was unfortunate a Conservative govenment didn't listen to a Conservative mayor over HS2. He said a Lib Dem mayor would 'bridge the gap' between the two main parties. He said the West Midlands was the 'beating heart of the region' and wants to build more industry in the region and 'drag' investment in from Whitehall.

Elaine Williams (ReformUK) said she would look at what people in the West Midlands need and take that to Whitehall to show what is required to put the region 'back on track.'

Akhmed Yakoob (Independent) said he will 'fight and make noise' to lobby politicians to bring in investment.

Question from historian Carl Chinn on child poverty in the region...

Siobhan Harper-Nunes (Green Party) said families were choosing between 'heating and eating.' She wants more retrofitted homes to create green, sustainable jobs and reduce poverty. She will lobby central government to stop cutting funding to local authorities which is 'exacerbating' the hardship families are facing.

Richard Parker (Labour) said he would spend on social housing 'from day one' to get '5000 families' into safe secure families. He wants to invest in skills to help people get better paid jobs to support their children. He would make the WMCA a real living wage employer. He also wants to retrofit homes to bring down energy bills. He said these changes would make a 'real impact' on rates of child poverty.

Andy Street (Conservatives) said too many people in the region are in low paid work. He wants to train more people to help them acquire the skills for better paid jobs in profitable sectors. He said the proportion of low-paid jobs in the West Midlands has decresed under his leadership - and that the WMCA was already a real living wage employer.

Sunny Virk (Liberal Democrats) said child poverty under the Conservative's and the Labour local council has gone up and was a 'curse' to our society. He said a 'child's life begins at home' and wants to improve insulation to help bring bills down. He wants to work with employers to help students get into work - and make transport free for young people. He wants more equal opportunities to children across the region.

Elaine Williams (ReformUK) said child poverty figures are 'shocking.' She said we need to work with communities and authorities at how to tackle poverty. She said housing problems needed to be addressed as part of this to ensure children have healthy places to live.

Akhmed Yakoob (Independent) said he wanted to kickstart the economy and bring more jobs to the West Midlands. He wanted the council to work with the NHS to tackle health inequalities to ensure children are healthy.

What are your plans for transport - and what will you do to tackle road deaths?

Siobhan Harper-Nunes (Green Party) said the answer was to be 'much tougher' on road users who drive dangerously - but also to create a hierachy for road users to prioritise vulnerable people. She wants fewer cars on the road - and that needs investment in transport infrastructure.

Richard Parker (Labour) said he subscribed to the Vision Zero strategy. He wants more average speed cameras and speed limits reduced - alongside safer crossings at major junctions. "We need to make our roads safer - there seems to be an avoidable tragedy every week." he said.

Andy Street (Conservatives) said the recent death of a girl in Highgate was a 'tragedy'. He said more dashcam footage is being looked at and acted upon by police. He called for more average speed cameras across the region. He wants more physical measures put in place to reduce speeding.

Sunny Virk (Liberal Democrats) he was taking an 'anti-speeding approach' to this campaign. He said road deaths was a 'complicated issue' only the Lib Dems could deal with. He wants to reduce speed around schools at drop-off times.

Elaine Williams (ReformUK) said we need to look at the 'root causes' of road deaths. She wants more education on speeding awareness and 'take these people off the roads' to make them safer. She wants a 'fully integrated transport system' right across the region.

Akhmed Yakoob (Independent) said more speed awareness workshops and more speed humps

If you were made mayor, what is one thing you’d like to change in a four year term?

Richard Parker (Labour) said the buses would come back into public control which would being 'improvements.'

Andy Street (Conservatives) said he would support the building of more social homes.

Sunny Virk (Liberal Democrats) said he would build more affordable homes for young professionals and working people. He would also cap day-pass fares for buses.

Elaine Williams (ReformUK) said she would build more social housing and affordable homes.

Akhmed Yakoob (Independent) said he would make the West Midlands 'an inudustrial powerhouse again.;

West Midlands Mayor hustings about to begin…

We will be bringing you live updates throughout this afternoon’s hustings. Stay tuned to hear what our mayoral candidates have to say about transport, the economy, housing - and of course, the crisis at Birmingham City Council.

These are the candidates present at today’s virtual hustings:

• Siobhan Harper-Nunes (Green Party)
• Richard Parker (Labour)
• Andy Street (Conservatives)
• Sunny Virk (Liberal Democrats)
• Elaine Williams (ReformUK)
• Akhmed Yakoob (Independent)

Join us and post your comments in the Facebook chat to take part in the debate.