12 men in final field to be mayor of Liverpool

BOTH the National Front and the BNP are fielding candidates in the all-male race to be Liverpool's first elected mayor, it was announced today.

Twelve candidates have been nominated to stand. Voters will go to the polls on May3. 

Bienveneda Buck:
Where's she gone then?There was a train of thought that Lady Bienveneda Buck, the kiss-and-tell tabloid darling of the 1990s would have a go. She is a Liverpool resident and indicated she would do via a "where-are-they-now?" interview with the Daily Mail last month. 

Four city councillors are standing: Labour leader Joe Anderson and Liberal Democrat Richard Kemp, Steve Radford from the Liberal Party and John Coyne for the Green Party.

Herbert Howe pulled out last week and Phil Redmond is channeling his energies into a new local TV channel.

Paul Rimmer is standing for the English Democrats, Adam Heatherington for UKIP and former city militant Tony Mulhearn for the Trade Union and Socialist Party.

Peter Tierney: National FrontPeter Tierney, the controversial former owner of Quiggins, is representing not the BNP but the National Front. The former party will be fielding Mike Whitby.

There are also two indepedents - Liam Fogarty, the former BBC broadcaster, and Jeff Berman. Oh, and Tory Tony Caldeira.

Councillors decided to bypass a referendum on the issue, as exclusively revealed on Liverpool Confidential in January, and hold elections for the post in May.

They said by moving to the mayoral model the city would improve its chances of receiving £130m in government funds.