Mike Starkie is a British Conservative politician who was the directly elected mayor of Copeland, for the Borough of Copeland in Cumbria.[1]
He stood as an Independent, winning the 2015 election and beating the Labour candidate after transfer votes (the Conservatives were eliminated after coming last in the first round of votes).[2][3] In June 2020, dropping his 'Independent' stance, announcing he had joined the Conservative Party.[4]
He is supportive of elected mayors, and has called for a referendum on having an elected mayor for the whole county of Cumbria.[5] Starkie was the first and only Mayor of Copeland. His position was established (after a referendum) to replace the role of a Council leader and Cabinet. It was abolished as part of the local government reorganisation in Cumbria on 1 April 2023.
Starkie supported the Whitehaven coal mine project.[6]
Election results
| Copeland mayoral election 7 May 2015
|
| Party
|
Candidate
|
1st round
|
2nd round
|
1st round votesTransfer votes, 2nd round
|
| Total
|
Of round
|
Transfers
|
Total
|
Of round
|
|
|
Independent
|
Mike Starkie
|
9,836
|
30.5%
|
5,397
|
15,233
|
51.2%
|
|
|
|
Labour
|
Steve Gibbons
|
12,867
|
39.9%
|
1,662
|
14,529
|
48.8%
|
|
|
|
Conservative
|
Chris Whiteside
|
9,509
|
29.5%
|
|
|
|
|
| Turnout
|
32,212
|
|
|
|
|
Independent win
|
| Copeland mayoral election 2 May 2019[7]
|
| Party
|
Candidate
|
1st round
|
2nd round
|
1st round votesTransfer votes, 2nd round
|
| Total
|
Of round
|
Transfers
|
Total
|
Of round
|
|
|
Independent
|
Mike Starkie
|
10,008
|
57%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Labour
|
Linda Jones-Bulman
|
4,544
|
26%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Conservative
|
Gerard McGrath
|
2,895
|
17%
|
|
|
|
|
| Turnout
|
17,447
|
|
|
|
|
Independent hold
|
References
