BRADFORD Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe has announced that she is standing as a candidate for West Yorkshire Mayor.

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority chair delivered the "important news" in a tweet posted this morning, confirming "I am standing to be the Labour Party Candidate for West Yorkshire Mayor in 2021."

Councillor Hinchcliffe says that the role of mayor "provides a powerful platform", while pledging to improve equality, work towards a greener economy and improve transport and housing.

As part of her campaign, she said: "All aspects of our lives - from decent affordable housing, cheap and efficient public transport and top-class skills and training - need to be urgently addressed, and that is what I intend to do.

"My plan for the vital job of West Yorkshire Mayor has at its heart the need for social justice and equality.

"But we are not going cap in hand for central government investment. We know that for every £1 invested in West Yorkshire, the treasury will receive £10 in increased tax revenue.

"We must build a future of hope and opportunity for all, firmly based on the Green Industrial Revolution, to avert a global environmental disaster.

"That means changing the way we heat our homes by investing in new low-carbon technology. It also means reviving our town and city centres and connecting all parts of West Yorkshire with a clean and efficient, integrated transport network."