Dan Norris blocked from being WECA mayor again after Labour bans MPs having second jobs

The party's members agreed at their annual conference on Sunday to extend the restrictions to mayors

Dan Norris will be blocked from running again to be West of England metro mayor after a major change in Labour ’s rules about MPs having second jobs. Delegates at the party’s annual conference approved proposals to extend a ban on councillors remaining in their local government roles if they are elected to the House of Commons to other office holders, including mayors.

It is understood the resolution on Sunday, September 22, received an overwhelming 80 per cent support. Labour’s Mr Norris became elected head of the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) in 2021 and would be up for reelection next year.

But at July’s General Election, he ousted Conservative Jacob Rees-Mogg to become MP for the newly created North East Somerset & Hanham constituency, having been defeated by the former Tory government minister 14 years ago. Mr Norris previously said he would do both jobs “until at least May” 2025, sparking criticism that he was taking two salaries for two roles that should both be full-time.

It is unclear whether he will have to resign as Weca mayor before the end of his term. Previous rules allowed metro mayors of combined authorities to be MPs.

Dan Jarvis, MP for Barnsley Central and later Barnsley North since 2011, was also the metro mayor of South Yorkshire from 2018 to 2022. The changes were proposed last week ahead of Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool by the party's National Executive Committee.

A Labour spokesperson said: “The Labour Party is committed to MPs focusing on being MPs and the rule change is about the principle of second jobbing, bringing mayors into line with leaders and councillors in the Labour Party rulebook.” The process to select a new Labour candidate for next year’s Weca elections starts in the next few weeks. Mr Norris has been approached for comment.