Liverpool Labour councillors fail to abolish role of city mayor

Motion to revert to leader and cabinet model followed scrapping of all-female mayoral shortlist

Labour councillors in Liverpool have failed in an attempt to abolish the city mayoral role in protest against a decision by the party to scrap its all-female mayoral shortlist and bar three senior local politicians from standing.

The move means the party must scrabble around to find a plausible candidate for May's elections, following the arrest of the incumbent, Joe Anderson.