In the first election for the new Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority, Green Party candidate Kerry Harrison is pitching herself as a political outsider with grassroots credibility. The new authority was created as part of a deal signed in September 2024, which devolves powers over transport and housing, alongside a £400mn long-term investment fund.
Unlike the two council leaders standing for election, Harrison has no political office but says her life experience is her biggest qualification.
“I’m on the same level as most working people who live and work in the area. I’m a single parent and I know what it’s like to struggle. People need that voice from a level of understanding, rather than being told this is what you need,” she says.
From the community, for the community
While other candidates also live locally, Harrison emphasises her personal experiences of low wages, rent, and moving her family – which are challenges she believes give her a different perspective. She wants to lead from within the community, not from the top down.
She is already embedded in community life – not as a politician but as a fellow-resident, she says. From attending a hustings to engage with the Muslim community, to going to a vigil in support of health workers in Palestine, and helping with the clean-up after last summer’s riots, she wants to be a problem-solver for the area’s burning issues.
“That, for me, isn’t to get brownie points. It was to be involved in the community, be a part of the solution, and listen to the people around because I learn all the time. You have to be open to that and flexible with your perspective,” she explains.
Building bridges across the region
As a mayoral candidate, Harrison has one thing in mind above all else: building stronger connections at regional and local level. She wants to work closely with councils in Hull and East Yorkshire and strengthen ties with other mayors in the North, including the new mayor of Lincolnshire.
Success for Harrison would be greater cooperation between the different authorities within and outside the region, but also a change in mindset. She believes that many people have lost faith in politics and see the answer as simply voting for another party, even if that party doesn’t really want what’s best for them.
Part of that mindset change, she believes, comes from supporting local and independent businesses within the community. Harrison sees them as key to the heritage and identity of Hull and East Yorkshire and says they should not be overlooked in plans. She wants the mayor’s office to spotlight the efforts of people already preserving local enterprise, such as local groups coming together to save pubs from closure, so that others can be inspired to do the same.
“If people feel like they’ve got more options and feel more empowered, then that is a massive benefit. They’ll want to show the region off more,” she says.
Putting transport on track
Improving local transport is another important part of Harrison’s plan to strengthen regional connections. She points to Manchester’s Bee Network as a model worth studying, but stresses the importance of adapting ideas to suit the needs of Hull and East Yorkshire.
“You need to find out what’s already available, if they serve people beneficially, where the gaps are and how they can be filled,” she explains.
Harrison recognises that serving smaller towns and rural areas is a challenge, but is open to creative solutions, such as Conservative councillor Anne Handley’s proposal for hop-on, hop-off buses, if they can better serve the needs of dispersed communities. Transport fits in well with Harrison’s focus on quality of life.
A new vision of work-life balance
She argues that wellbeing should be at the heart of economic plans. Her boldest proposal? Piloting a four-day work week trial – championed by the Green Party during the general election – to give local people time to enjoy life, especially as Hull and East Yorkshire is one of the UK’s most deprived regions.
“It’s kind of crying out for something new. I think if you’re talking about putting Hull and East Yorkshire on the map, then you’ve got to acknowledge that there are issues in the area and there is a reason behind that.
“It’s not just about money, it’s about time to enjoy life which a lot of people don’t have. You go to work, you go home, you go to work, you go home.”
She acknowledges that funding would be a hurdle, but points to successful trials in Germany and America as proof that shorter working weeks can pay off. Workers can often maintain or even increase their productivity, she argues, while experiencing less stress and a better quality of life.
“I think if people are willing to fight for that investment in the people of the area, it shows you care about people. It gives people that optimism that something can and will be done for them,” she says.
Leading with hope, not fear
Harrison urges voters to embrace change and think independently in the upcoming election.
“We need to look at this all with an optimism and a progressive perspective. This election really does give people an opportunity to use their vote in the way that they want to use it.”
With polls taking place on 1 May, Harrison urges voters to “choose wisely” and not be swayed by fear – not to feel pressured to vote tactically, but according to who truly represents their interests.
“We’re looking to build something from the ground up,” she says, “not from the top trickling down”.
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