A LOCAL businessman has thrown his hat in the ring to become the Conservative candidate for the West Midlands Combined Authority metro mayor.
John Lewis managing director, Andy Street, has announced he is standing down as chair of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in order to campaign to become the region’s first elected mayor.
The former Solihull schoolboy pupil grew up in and around Birmingham and Solihull before going on to study politics, philosophy and economics at Oxford University.
After he graduated, Mr Street joined John Lewis in 1985 and worked his way through the ranks to become managing idrector in 2007.
If he is successfully selected as the Conservative candidate, Mr Street is expected to stand down from his role at John Lewis.
Sion Simon, MEP for the West Midlands has been announced as Labour candidate for the role, while Birmingham City University director Beverley Nielsen will stand for the Liberal Democrats.
The Conservative party will make their decision on who will be their candidate for the West Midlands Mayor on September 29.
