Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson has comfortably won his fight to become Labour's candidate for May's election as he bids for a third term in the top city job.
Mayor Anderson has been the subject of a selection process known as a trigger ballot for the past month involving all Labour ward branches and affiliated unions.
And while some believed he may have faced a close-run fight for the red rose nomination, he has cruised through the selection process comfortably.
As well as securing the backing of 24 out of 30 Labour ward branches in the city, Mayor Anderson has also been endorsed by major unions like Unite, Unison, GMB and numerous other affiliate branches.
Some have criticised the format of the Labour Party's trigger ballot as they believe it favours the incumbent.
But Mayor Anderson will be delighted with the overwhelming nature of his victory and will now be the strong favourite to win the Mayoral vote in May and seal a third four-year term as the city's top politician.
A figure who often divides opinion, some have criticised the Mayor's outspoken style and accused him of not listening to others in his role.
But others believe he is a leader who has successfully steered Liverpool through one of the city's most difficult periods - where a staggering £436m has been wiped from the council's government funding in a decade, more than other city.
The Mayor has adopted an 'Invest to Earn' policy during his time in office, where he has aimed to grow the economy via investments in a bid to replace the funding that has been lost and protect services.
Speaking after his selection victory was confirmed tonight, Mayor Anderson said: "I am delighted that I have been given a strong show of support from Labour Party members, affiliated societies and the Trade Unions.
"The confidence they have shown in choosing me so overwhelmingly to be the Labour Party Candidate for Mayor of Liverpool is also a mandate for me to continue with the policies we have of growing our City and supporting the poorest and most vulnerable.
"I would like to thank all of those that have supported me.
"This emphatic show of support is also a vote of confidence in the Labour ward councillors and Cabinet who work with me as a team.
"I now look forward to putting together a manifesto that tackles the issues of the climate emergency and the environment, housing, jobs, skills, growth, protecting people, and taking these ideas to the residents of our city."
The Liverpool Mayoral election will be held on May 7 alongside the city council elections and the Liverpool City Region Mayoral election.
