Former Peterborough MP Paul Bristow has been elected as mayor of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, securing 28.4% of the vote in a fiercely competitive election.
The Conservative candidate edged out Reform UK’s Ryan Coogan, who came a close second with 23.4%. Labour’s Anna Smith followed with 20.1%, with Liberal Democrat Lorna Dupre and the Green Party’s Bob Ensch trailing behind.
Bristow, who served as MP from 2019 to 2024, described the victory as an “amazing privilege” and vowed to lead as a “campaigning mayor” focused on improving infrastructure and addressing inequality across the region.
“It’s a big job, and we really need someone who can grab the ball, run with it, and represent Cambridgeshire,” he said following the announcement.
This election was the first to use the first-past-the-post system for the role, a change from the previous supplementary vote method. Voter turnout stood at 33.1%.
Unity, Infrastructure, and Rising Opposition
Bristow will now head the combined authority, where he must work closely with leaders of city, district, and county councils—many of whom represent other parties. With the Liberal Democrats controlling Cambridgeshire County Council and Reform UK making significant inroads, Bristow faces a complex political landscape.
He also takes on the role at a time when the region is increasingly divided between the prosperity of Cambridge and the challenges faced by more rural areas like Fenland and Peterborough. “We need to share that prosperity,” Bristow said. “So people in the Fens and Peterborough can also be healthier, wealthier and happier.”
Meanwhile, Reform UK’s performance has sent ripples through the political scene. Coogan’s strong showing, particularly in Leave-voting Fenland, signals a growing challenge to both traditional parties.
The previous mayor, Labour’s Nik Johnson, did not seek re-election due to health reasons, after serving one term following a win under the now-replaced supplementary vote system.
Bristow’s four-year term begins immediately, with promises of unity, investment, and a firm voice for the region in national politics.
