Marvin Rees, Baron Rees of Easton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Rees of Easton
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Rees in 2023
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| 2nd Mayor of Bristol | |
| In office 9 May 2016 – 7 May 2024 |
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| Deputy | Craig Cheney Asher Craig |
| Preceded by | George Ferguson |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| Assumed office 4 February 2025 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | April 1972 (age 54) Bristol, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | Swansea University (BSc, MA) Eastern University (MS) |
Marvin Rees, Baron Rees of Easton (born April 1972) is a British politician from the Labour Party. He was the second and last Mayor of Bristol from 2016 to 2024. In February 2025, he became a life peer, which means he is now a member of the House of Lords.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Marvin Rees grew up in Bristol, England. He lived in areas like Lawrence Weston and Easton. He was raised by his British mother.
He went to St George comprehensive school in Bristol. Later, he studied at Swansea University, where he earned two master's degrees. He also earned a master's degree from Eastern University in 2000.
Early Career
Before becoming a politician, Rees worked in many different jobs. He was a freelance journalist and a radio presenter for BBC Radio Bristol and Ujima Radio.
He also worked as a manager at the Black Development Agency. This group helped people and communities by creating chances to work abroad. In Bristol, he worked for Public Health, focusing on making things fair for everyone in mental health services. He also worked with young people and communities in the United States.
Political Journey
Running for Mayor
In 2012, Marvin Rees first ran to become the Mayor of Bristol. He was chosen by members of the Labour Party to be their candidate. He came in second place in the election, after George Ferguson.
Helping the Community
In 2012, Rees started the Bristol Leadership Programme. This program helped young people from difficult backgrounds achieve their dreams. He also worked with the Bristol Partnership. This group aimed to make Bristol a better place for everyone. Their goals included making the city's success last, reducing differences in health and wealth, building stronger communities, and helping young people succeed.
Mayor of Bristol
First Term as Mayor
Marvin Rees was chosen again to be the Labour candidate for Mayor in 2016. On May 5, 2016, he was elected Mayor of Bristol. He was the first black mayor of African descent in the UK.
When he started, Bristol's council faced big money problems. Rees worked to fix these issues. He also started a plan to build more homes in Bristol, especially homes that people could afford. He created a company called Goram Homes to help build these houses.
Rees was recognized for his influence. He was listed in the "Powerlist" in 2020 and 2021. This list names the most influential people in the UK of African/African-Caribbean descent.
Bristol Arena Decision
One big decision Rees made was about building a new arena in Bristol. In September 2018, he decided not to build the arena near Temple Meads railway station in the city centre. This decision caused a lot of discussion.
Rees explained his reasons. He said the building costs were too high for the council. He also believed a different type of development would create more and better jobs. He also worked to get a larger, privately funded arena built in another part of the city.
Edward Colston Statue
In March 2019, Rees stopped a new plaque from being added to the Statue of Edward Colston. He felt the words on the plaque did not properly explain Colston's role in the Bristol slave trade.
In 2020, during protests after the death of George Floyd, people in Bristol pulled down the statue of Edward Colston. They dropped it into the harbour. The council later recovered the statue. Rees announced it would go to a museum to tell its full history. He also started a new group to help people understand Bristol's history better, including issues of class, race, and gender.
After the statue was pulled down, four people were charged with damaging it. In January 2022, a jury found them not guilty. Rees later said he was glad the statue was gone. He explained that he had focused his efforts on important issues like jobs, housing, and education, rather than on the statue earlier.
Second Term as Mayor
Rees was re-elected as Mayor in May 2021. He won with 56.5% of the votes. He promised to build even more new homes, including affordable ones.
In October 2020, he received an honorary award from the Royal Institute of British Architects for his work in the city. In July 2023, he received another honorary degree from Swansea University.
In May 2022, Bristol held a vote to decide if the city should keep having a mayor. The city voted to stop having a mayor. Rees continued to serve until May 2024, when a new system for running the council began.
In June 2022, Rees faced some criticism for taking a long flight to speak about climate change. He later announced that a Clean Air Zone would start in central Bristol in November 2022. This zone charges older, more polluting vehicles to enter the city centre.
In July 2023, Rees was nominated for the World Mayor Prize. He was shortlisted but did not win.
After Being Mayor
In June 2024, Marvin Rees became an honorary professor at Bristol University. He works with the university's Cabot Institute for the Environment.
On September 4, 2024, Rees released his book, Let's See What Happens. It is about his life and his time as Mayor.
In December 2024, Rees was nominated to become a life peer in the House of Lords. He officially became Baron Rees of Easton on February 4, 2025.
Personal Life
Marvin Rees describes himself as having a mixed-race background. His father was British-Jamaican, and his mother was white British. He grew up in Bristol with his mother and seven siblings. He is married to Kiersten Rees, and they have three children.
A documentary film called The Mayor's Race was released in 2018. It showed Rees's journey into politics and his two campaigns for mayor. The film also looked at Bristol's history, including issues of race and racism. In 2020, the BBC made another documentary called "Statue Wars" about Rees and the events surrounding the Colston statue.
Rees is a Christian and has spoken openly about his faith. He worked for Christian charities and magazines earlier in his career.
In the 2024 New Year Honours, Rees was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his work in local government.
