A Liverpool City Councillor has entered the controversial race to become Labour's candidate for Mayor of Liverpool.
Kensington and Fairfield Councillor Liam Robinson said he is entering the re-opened contest so that members in the city have a good choice of strong candidates.
Labour are under fire for their chaotic handling of the mayoral selection process, which was dramatically suspended last week.
The party had shortlisted three sitting party councillors - Wendy Simon, Ann O'Byrne and Anna Rothery - only to suddenly announce that all three were off the shortlist and would not be invited to reapply.
The move - and lack of explanation - from Labour has prompted confusion and anger around the city.
The party has since reopened applications and will be holding interviews for new applicants today before drawing up a new shortlist.
One person who will be interviewed is 38-year-old Cllr Robinson.
First elected in 2008, he has served the Kensington and Fairfield ward since that point.
He is perhaps best known for his work on transport and has been the Combined Authority's Transport lead since 2012.
He confirmed to the ECHO that he had applied for the position.
He said: "Like all Labour Party members in Liverpool I was shocked and disappointed by the events of the last week
"I believe that the most important thing is that Liverpool Labour members are able to select our candidate and that in the circumstances that we are in they have the widest possible choice of strong local candidates to choose from.
"I believe I can offer that choice and have submitted my nomination in these very difficult and unique circumstances."
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The mayoral election will go ahead in May after attempts to remove the position altogether were defeated this weekend.
Labour councillors had brought a motion to a crunch meeting of the ruling city group on Saturday aimed at holding a vote that would see the council get rid of the mayoralty and move back to a leader and cabinet model of governance after May's election.
But councillors were warned that the move could open the authority up to a legal challenge given that a vote was only held on the same matter in January, and so the group voted against the plan.
