A woman held the office of Mayor of Liverpool from 2020 to 2021, and that woman was Wendy Simon. During this incredibly difficult period of the pandemic’s peak for the city, the country, and the world, she managed to prove herself in the best possible light. You can read more at liverpoolyes.com.
Background Briefing
Wendy Simon is a British Labour Party politician. She served as the Acting Mayor of Liverpool after the incumbent mayor, Joe Anderson, stepped down following the launch of a police investigation into his conduct. Anderson was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit bribery and was taken into custody. While he officially remained the mayor, Simon was the person actually fulfilling the role. She also served as the city’s Deputy Mayor from 2018 to 2021.
Career Highlights
Wendy Simon is a stalwart supporter of the Labour Party. She is a representative for the Unison trade union and a senior social worker in Knowsley. In 2007, Wendy defeated the Liberal Democrats to be elected to Liverpool City Council, a seat she comfortably retained in 2011, 2015, and 2019. Considered a firm ally of Joe Anderson, Simon worked under his leadership from 2010 when the Labour Party took control of the City Council. She demonstrated her loyalty again in 2018 by agreeing to become the Deputy Mayor after a major reshuffle in the cabinet.
Meanwhile, the serving mayor unexpectedly dismissed his assistant, Nick Small. This action led to the resignations of Deputy Mayor Ann O’Byrne and cabinet member Steve Munby. Wendy Simon, who had previously been a Liverpool City Council member for Culture and Tourism for several years, was then appointed as Deputy Mayor, with her candidacy supported by Councillors Hinnigan and Millar. Following all the internal changes, Simon also defeated O’Byrne in the race for the Deputy Leader position of the Liverpool Labour Party.
Time as Acting Mayor
Simon’s time in charge coincided with an extremely challenging period. The Labour group was reeling from the scandal of Joe Anderson’s arrest, while the city was gripped by panic as coronavirus cases were rising exponentially. Undaunted by the responsibility, Wendy Simon immediately stepped into the role of Acting Mayor and worked tirelessly to improve the situation in Liverpool.
For instance, the city undertook mass COVID testing to identify infections, with rigorous contact tracing for all those who tested positive. This effort successfully identified hundreds of asymptomatic cases. The large-scale project, developed by the Mayor and her team, yielded positive results and valuable experience that other cities across the country were able to emulate.
Another crucial step during her tenure was calling for an extraordinary inspection of the City Council. Despite her loyalty to Anderson, Simon declared that in this matter she was an independent voice. She insisted that any instances of corruption must be uncovered and that the city’s authority must be completely transparent throughout the investigation.
Local government faced immense difficulty in grappling with the dual crisis of the pandemic and the corruption probe. However, the monumental work carried out by Wendy Simon—including the declaration of lockdown—along with her collaboration with the national government and her independent stance on the investigations, prevented the city from descending into panic and serious upheaval.
Adhering to lockdown restrictions, she worked and managed Liverpool from her own home. Yet, this didn’t prevent her from remaining a steadfast leader whose aim was to serve her city and work for the benefit of its residents. It is precisely for these reasons that the reserved, modest, yet results-driven Wendy Simon has become a politician who, like Mary Rasmussen, commands the boundless respect and trust of the people of Liverpool.