LABOUR'S latest city region metro mayor hopeful, Luciana Berger, visited St Helens today (Tuesday).

The Liverpool Wavertree MP this morning confirmed she is throwing her hat into the ring alongside Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson and fellow Labour MP Steve Rotheram, to become the Labour candidate for the job.

The MP, who has represented Wavertree for six years and is shadow minister for mental health, met with a group of St Helens Labour party members this afternoon at The Mansion House in Victoria Park, to introduce her campaign and answer members' questions.

Ms Berger said she was bringing something different to the table, and would be a "listening mayor" who has a "strong track record in responding to and acting on constituents' concerns".

She said: "If elected, I would be listening all the time."

With a strong focus on health, Ms Berger said: "I want our region to be the happiest, healthiest and most beautiful region in the country. There's so much to do to tackle health inequalities."

She talked of the region "punching above its collective weight" and of celebrating the fantastic heritage and culture: "Not just The Beatles but the industry and businesses that have been born here, such as Pilkington."

When members shared concerns that the Liverpool city region could be dominated by one or two of the six boroughs, Ms Berger talked of "carrying everyone together".

She talked about improving transport across the city region, "joined up" approaches to higher education and, where possible, health.

On education she said: "There is a lot of duplication across the city region; we need to co-ordinate and audit where we are at."

She told the Star: "I cannot claim to have a better understanding of what St Helens needs than the people who live here.

"From the conversations I've had with people in this part of the city region, there are concerns about the town centre in terms of quality of shops and exciting experiences.

"Transport is another concern in terms of connectivity across the borough - and also the quality of employment and opportunity here.

"There is a sense of injustice and inequality. I would do my best to make sure this was a city region where no-one got left behind."

The move to have a metro mayor comes as a result of the devolution deal agreed by council leaders in St Helens, Knowsley, Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton and Halton and the Government last year, and the Labour nominee is widely seen as the favourite to win.

Nominations for Labour's selections in the process remain open until June 10, with the result expected in August.

The Labour party candidate will be chosen by the party's members and then the public will choose between those put forward by all parties and any independent hopefuls in May 2017.