Let's See What Happens

Let's See What Happens is described by David Olusoga, author of Black and British, as 'a brutally honest account of power, politics, race and class, written by a politician with a remarkable backstory and destined for bigger things'.

In 2016, Marvin Rees was elected as Mayor of Bristol, marking the first time a major European city elected a mayor of Black African heritage. Re-elected in 2021, his eight-year tenure has guided the city through major events including Brexit, Covid, the cost of living crisis, and the fall of the Colston statue. With global attention on Bristol, Rees expertly navigated a high-stakes balancing act to maintain the city's unity, all while facing racist abuse and personal threats.

Rees's path to political leadership was far from straightforward. As the mixed-race son of a Jamaican father and a white single mother, he grew up in a financially constrained environment with limited opportunities. Initially finding purpose in the boxing ring, he later studied history and politics at university. Although he passed the interview board for the Royal Marines, he failed the medical. Redirecting his ambitions, he joined an international development agency, then became a broadcast journalist at the BBC. Politics eventually called to him, and after gaining a place at Yale's prestigious World Fellows Program for rising global leaders, he was selected as the Labour Party candidate for Bristol's first mayoral election in 2012—and lost.

Let's See What Happens chronicles Marvin Rees's journey of setbacks and triumphs on his path to political success, highlighting how his failures were instrumental in the lessons he learned about life. He narrates both the challenges and opportunities he encountered as a man and as mayor, contributing to his home city’s growth to national and international prominence.

Thoughtful, straight-talking, and passionate, this is the fascinating story of one of the most charismatic leaders in British politics today.