Nik Johnson

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Nik Johnson
Mayor of Cambridgeshire
and Peterborough
Assumed office
10 May 2021
Preceded byJames Palmer
Huntingdonshire councillor
for St Neots East
In office
May 2018 – May 2020
Preceded byNew seat
Personal details
Born
Nik Johnson

North East England
Political partyLabour Co-op
Children3
WebsiteOfficial website

Nik Johnson (born 1969/1970) is a British Labour Co-op politician and paediatrician who has served as the mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough since 2021.

Early life and medical career[]

Nik Johnson was born in Northumberland in 1969 or 1970.[1][2] He grew up in Hexham, Northumberland and trained as a doctor at St George's Hospital Medical School, qualifying in 1993.[3][4] He has worked as a paediatrician at Hinchingbrooke Hospital since 2007.[5][6]

Early political career[]

Labour candidate and councillor[]

Johnson stood as the Labour Party candidate in the 2015 general election for the Huntingdon constituency. He came second with 18.3% of the vote. In 2017, he sought selection to be Labour's candidate in the inaugural Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayoral election but wasn't shortlisted.[7][8] Later in that year, Johnson stood again as the Labour candidate for Huntingdon in the 2017 general election. He came second again increasing his share of the vote to 30.9% and cutting the majority by 10.5%.[9]

He unsuccessfully stood for election to Huntingdonshire District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council on six occasions from 2012 to 2017, before being elected as a Huntingdonshire district councillor for St Neots East in 2018.[5][6]

In June 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Johnson signed an open letter organised by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health that called on the government to release its plans for returning children to schools for the sake of their mental health.[10]

2021 Cambridge and Peterborough mayoral election[]

Johnson was selected to be the Labour candidate by a vote of local party members in November 2020, beating the Cambridge city councillor Katie Thornburrow.[11] In his campaign, he said would introduce bus franchising, alongside rebranding buses and providing free or subsidised bus travel to young people.[12][13] He also said he would seek government funding to build more council houses.[12] He also proposed renaming the combined authority to "Greater Cambridgeshire".[12] Despite having stood as "Dr Nik Johnson" in four previous elections to public office, he was prevented from using his title on the ballot paper for this election.[14]

Johnson was elected to the role of Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough in the 2021 mayoral election. Upon taking office, he became entitled to the style of Mayor.[15] In the first round, he came in second place with 32.8% of the vote. He won in the second round when he received 72.7% of transferred second preferences from the eliminated Liberal Democrat candidate.[16] Residents of Johnson's village, Great Gransden, stood on the street and applauded his victory.[17] He said he would continue to work half a day each week as a paediatrician.[18]

Mayor of Cambridge and Peterborough[]

Transport[]

In his first week in office, Johnson cancelled plans for an autonomous metro project that James Palmer, his Conservative predecessor, had supported. Johnson said the project had "all the hallmarks of being an expensive folly and a potential financial blackhole" and he would instead consider alternative ways to integrate and improve transport in the combined authority.[19] The Conservative leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council, Anna Bailey, accused Johnson of acting without consulting the combined authority and leaving the area with "no plan".[20] The Labour leader of Cambridge City Council defended Johnson as having "a more practical focus" and said that the autonomous metro plan had "no fundability".[21] After suspending work on the proposed autonomous metro, Johnson commissioned a new transport plan focused on areas that have suffered from deprivation and equality, and on reducing carbon emissions.[22] He blocked a proposal to spend £350,000 on consultants to study the aborted metro project, and started a review of the use of consultants with the intention of completing work internally as much as possible.[23][24][25] He met with the mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, in July to discuss options for transport.[26]

He arranged for the combined authority to provide £350,000 to support investment in Peterborough railway station in August 2021.[27] The UK's transport minister, Chris Heaton-Harris, initially withheld funding for active travel in the region, which Johnson secured by offering his commitments to active travel and beginning the process to appoint an independent cycling tsar.[28][29]

Other projects[]

In June, Johnson made sure that all combined authority staff were paid a living wage and started discussions with trade unions.[30] In June, Johnson announced a plan to submit a bid for the combined authority to become the UK City of Culture focused on Peterborough, Cambridge and Ely.[31] However, he did not make a bid, citing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on culture in the region and a lack of time to prepare a good enough bid.[32][33]

In July, the combined authority agreed to provide £1,800,000 of new funding to train more than 800 people starting in March 2022.[34][35] In August, he won the support of the combined authority to provide £1,100,000 to a development project in the town of March in order to prevent it losing a government grant of several more millions of pounds.[36]

In August, Johnson called on businesses to encourage their staff to get vaccinated against COVID-19.[37]

Electoral history[]

Council elections[]

Date Council Ward Votes % votes Place Ref
2012 Huntingdonshire District Council St Neots Eaton Ford 239 15.2 Third [38]
2013 Cambridgeshire County Council Huntingdon 721 23.0 Fifth [39]
2014 Huntingdonshire District Council Gransden and The Offords 381 24.1 Second [40]
2016 by-election Cambridgeshire County Council St Neots Eaton Socon and Eynesbury 625 19.3 Third [41]
2016 Huntingdonshire District Council St Neots Eynesbury 404 21.7 Fifth [42]
2017 Cambridgeshire County Council Huntingdon North and Hartford 532 21.1 Third [43]
2018 Huntingdonshire District Council St Neots East 345 40.4 Won [44]

UK Parliament elections[]

Date Constituency Votes % votes Place Ref
2015 general election Huntingdon 10,248 18.3 Second [45]
2017 general election Huntingdon 18,440 30.9 Second [46]

Mayoral elections[]

Date Mayoralty First round First round % Second round Second round % Place Ref
2021 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough 76,106 32.8 113,994 51.3 Won [16]

Personal life[]

Johnson has three children.[5]

References[]

  1. ^ Hatton, Benjamin (2 January 2021). "Meet Labour's candidate for the Cambridgeshire mayoral election". CambridgeshireLive. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Behind the scenes with Peterborough's new metro mayor - the children's doctor thrust into high political office". www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  3. ^ "General Medical Council". Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  4. ^ "MAYOR ELECTION: Children's doctor promises grown-up politics with 'compassion, co-operation and community'". www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Davies, Debbie (26 November 2020). "Huntingdon doctor supports Carers Rights Day". Hunts Post. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayoral elections: The candidates who say they will be standing". BBC News. 19 April 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  7. ^ Cliss, Sarah (8 December 2016). "Hinchingbrooke paediatrician and political campaigner - Dr Nik Johnson - announces he wants to stand for devolution mayor role". Cambs Times. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  8. ^ Elworthy, John (16 November 2020). "NHS doctor bids to become Mayor". Cambs Times. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  9. ^ Day, Sophie (9 June 2017). "GENERAL ELECTION 2017: Conservatives hold Huntingdon but Jonathan Djanogly's share is cut by Labour". Hunts Post. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  10. ^ Davies, Debbie (19 June 2020). ""Long lasting and deep scars" for children in lockdown says paediatrician urging for return to school". Hunts Post. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  11. ^ "Labour selects NHS doctor as candidate for Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough election". www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  12. ^ a b c Hatton, Benjamin (27 April 2021). "Labour candidate to be Cambridgeshire mayor lays out his policies". CambridgeshireLive. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  13. ^ Reporter, Ben Hatton, Local Democracy (26 April 2021). "Here's what I will do as mayor says Labour's Nik Johnson". Cambs Times. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  14. ^ Rutter, Harry (28 April 2021). "NHS doctor 'banned from describing himself as 'Dr' on ballot paper'". www.cambstimes.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  15. ^ Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, s 107A(5).
  16. ^ a b "Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayor election: Labour wins". BBC News. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  17. ^ elworthy, john (9 May 2021). "Villagers clap for newly elected metro mayor". Cambs Times. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  18. ^ "End to £100k homes - but pledge to find a better way to deliver affordable homes as new mayor takes office". Fenland Citizen. 13 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  19. ^ "Mayor Nik Johnson to scrap £2 billion metro project". Varsity Online. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  20. ^ "'Scrapping the Cambridge Autonomous Metro leaves us with no plan'". Cambridge Independent. 6 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  21. ^ "'Scrapping the Cambridge Autonomous Metro leaves us with no plan'". Cambridge Independent. 6 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  22. ^ "Cambridgeshire and Peterborough transport rethink is under way". Cambridge Independent. 6 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  23. ^ "Cambridgeshire and Peterborough transport rethink is under way". Cambridge Independent. 6 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  24. ^ "Cambridgeshire and Peterborough transport strategy to be reinvented". Intelligent Transport. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  25. ^ Clark, Tim (3 August 2021). "New Cambridgeshire mayor looks to cut consultancy spending". New Civil Engineer. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  26. ^ Mason, Daniel (22 July 2021). "WATCH: Mayor praises 'insight' on Andy Burnham visit". Ely Standard. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  27. ^ "Peterborough Station Quarter development given £350,000 to advance plans". www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  28. ^ "Cycling tsar for Cambridgeshire to be appointed as mayor eyes travel funding". Cambridge Independent. 16 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  29. ^ elworthy, john (6 August 2021). "A 'tsar' for cycling is the New Big Idea". Cambs Times. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  30. ^ Knott, Jonathan (28 June 2021). "Nik Johnson: 'I'm somebody the government wants to do business with'". Local Government Chronicle (LGC). Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  31. ^ Hatton, Benjamin (3 June 2021). "Mayor announces intention for Cambs 'county of culture' bid". CambridgeshireLive. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  32. ^ Wilde, Gabrielle (21 August 2021). "Cambridge and Peterborough not running for UK City of Culture 2025". CambridgeshireLive. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  33. ^ "Combined Authority backtracks on plans for City of Culture 2025 bid". Cambridge Independent. 25 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  34. ^ "£1.8m funding for skills bootcamps to help people in Cambridgeshire into better jobs". Fenland Citizen. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  35. ^ "£1.8m to deliver new digital skills secured by mayoral body". www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  36. ^ Mason, Daniel (12 August 2021). "Dr Nik helps save March high street project". Cambs Times. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  37. ^ "Three COVID deaths in 16 days in Peterborough as mayor backs vaccination campaign". www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  38. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project - 2012 - Huntingdonshire". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  39. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project - 2013 - Cambridgeshire". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  40. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project - 2014 - Huntingdonshire". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  41. ^ "By-elections and previous elections". Cambridgeshire County Council. Archived from the original on 8 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  42. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project - 2016 - Huntingdonshire". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  43. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project - 2017 - Cambridgeshire". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  44. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project - 2018 - Huntingdonshire". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  45. ^ "Huntingdon". UK Parliament. 7 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  46. ^ "Candidates standing in the General Election in Cambridgeshire".
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