Teacher to contest Wolverhampton council leader’s old seat

Chris Burden will stand as a Labour candidate in the Fallings Park ward in the ballot which is due to take place on May 6, 2021.

The seat is currently occupied by authority leader Councillor Brookfield, but he has been selected for Bushbury South and Low Hill.

Wolverhampton-born Mr Burden, who trained as a languages teacher in Birmingham, said the future prosperity lay in the hands of young people.

The 24-year-old has recently been elected to the role of co-chair of the Youth Combined Authority, initiated by the Conservative West Midlands Mayor Andy Street.

He said: “If we want our people and places to succeed, then we need to think about the future, and that starts with giving our kids the chances they deserve.

“What better way to do that than having teachers be part of civic leadership and representation?

“We need to look after everyone, but for a city to thrive, we need to solidify our future. We can only do that if we invest in our kids, and ensure they can access the training they need to succeed.

“Our ward is one that’s crammed with potential, but it’s a potential that goes untapped. People here are just as aspirational, bright, and full of potential as anywhere else.”

He added: “I recognise that many local people have lost faith in the Labour Party, we took a beating in the General Election in 2019 losing two of three of our Westminster seats to the Tories in the city, but we can rebuild that trust.

“What we need to offer are good, honest candidates, who are willing to stand up for their area, admit that their party made some mistakes, and build a better, common future together.”