Jamie Driscoll has raised the £25,000 he needs to run as an independent in the North East Mayor elections.
The North of Tyne mayor resigned from Labour on Monday after being blocked by the party from running for another role in the North East.
Driscoll, who has been described as the “last Corbynista in power”, was last month barred from the longlist to run in the new expanded North East authority.
He said “people are tired of being controlled by Westminster and party HQs” as he lashed out Sir Keir Starmer for breaking promises.
In a scathing resignation, he wrote: “Given you have barred me from running as North East mayor, despite being incumbent mayor, I have no other choice.
“In 2020 you told me to my face that you would ‘inspire people to come together … disciplining people to be united is going nowhere’. You’ve broken that promise.”
Driscoll launched a crowdfunder to raise money to support his bid for the mayoral position, promising to run if he managed to raise £25,000.
As of 3pm on Monday, the total had exceeded that amount and continues to go up!