Nik Johnson, the Labour mayor for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, has announced he will not seek re-election in May, citing the personal and professional toll of his four-year tenure.
Johnson, who took office in 2021 as the region’s second mayor, revealed his decision just hours after approving a landmark plan to franchise local bus services. Calling it a “huge moment,” he said public transport reform was his proudest achievement in office. However, in a statement, he admitted that the prospect of a second term was “one step too far.”
“I’ve loved being mayor, I’ve done everything I set out to do,” he said. “As much as I want to continue, for my own and for my family’s sake, I know that I have to step away.”
His time in office has been marred by controversy and personal challenges. Early in his tenure, Johnson faced allegations of bullying, for which he later apologised. His statement alluded to these difficulties, acknowledging the “challenge, conflict, and controversy” he has endured, which he said had taken a “very heavy toll, personally, professionally, and most of all, physically.”
Health concerns have also played a role in his decision. Johnson took extended leave from his mayoral duties in 2022 and 2023 to undergo heart surgery and recently discussed his future with medical specialists at Royal Papworth Hospital.
Despite stepping down, he expressed firm support for Labour’s devolution agenda, which aims to restructure local governance across England. His departure leaves the race for the next mayor wide open, with the Liberal Democrats’ Lorna Dupre and the Conservatives’ Paul Bristow among the declared candidates.
The election for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayor will take place on 1 May.
