Wendy Simon Explained

Wendy Simon
Office:Mayor of Liverpool
Status:Acting, De facto
Term Start:10 December 2020
Term End:10 May 2021
Predecessor:Joe Anderson
Successor:Joanne Anderson
Deputy:Herself
Office1:Deputy Mayor of Liverpool
1Namedata1:Joe Anderson
Herself (Acting)
Term Start1:May 2018
Term End1:10 May 2021
Predecessor1:Ann O'Byrne
Successor1:Jane Corbett
Party:Labour Party
Office2:Liverpool City Councillor
for Kensington and Fairfield
Term Start2:3 May 2007
Predecessor2:Richard Marbrow (LD)
Majority2:1,323 (62.0%)
Children:1[1]
Nationality:British

Wendy Simon is a Labour Party politician who exercised the powers and duties of the office of Mayor of Liverpool from 2020 to 2021. Mayor Joe Anderson temporarily stepped aside in December 2020. Although Anderson formally remained as Mayor until the end of his term, Simon performed Anderson’s duties.[2] She also served as Deputy Mayor of Liverpool from 2018 to 2021.

Career

A senior social worker in Knowsley,[3] and a Unison union official, Simon has been a councillor for Kensington and Fairfield on Liverpool City Council since 2007.[4] She is a trustee of the Everyman Playhouse, Liverpool.[5]

In 2021, she was shortlisted as one of three candidates to be the Labour Party's candidate for Mayor of Liverpool, alongside former Deputy Mayor Ann O'Byrne and Lord Mayor of Liverpool Anna Rothery, following the announcement by incumbent Joe Anderson that he would not run for re-election. Simon and the other shortlisted candidates were subsequently told that they would be reinterviewed, sparking claims of a stitch-up by the Labour Party establishment.[6] Afterwards all three were dismissed as candidates and told not to reapply.[7]

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. News: Topping . Alexandra . Wendy Simon: the interim mayor running Liverpool from her living room . . 13 January 2021. 11 February 2021.
  2. News: Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson steps aside amid bribery probe . . 10 December 2020. 11 February 2021.
  3. News: Acting Mayor of Liverpool Wendy Simon speaks for first time after Joe Anderson steps aside . Thorp . Liam . 10 December 2020 . . 3 January 2020.
  4. News: Thorp . Liam . 10 December 2020 . Who is Wendy Simon? The woman stepping in to run Liverpool as interim leader after Joe Anderson stands aside . . 3 January 2021.
  5. Web site: Wendy Simon . 3 January 2021 . Everyman Playhouse, Liverpool.
  6. News: Thorp. Liam. 17 February 2021. Liverpool Labour Mayor candidates will be interviewed again. 23 February 2021. Liverpool Echo. en.
  7. News: McGuinness. Alan. 23 February 2021. Labour reopens candidate selection process in race for Liverpool mayor. 24 February 2021. Sky News.