Entrepreneur who founded first commercial internet provider in Europe to stand as Peterborough and Cambridgeshire mayor

Peter Dawe, who headed the £150 million London Stock Exchange listed multinational PIPEX, will stand as an independent in May 2017.

Mr Dawe has founded over 80 organisations and businesses after starting in the finance and management services at Cambridge City and Cambridgeshire County councils.

Brought up in a small Bedfordshire village, Mr Dawe achieved huge success in the 1990s when the internet, which he was able to supply, took off.

He said he is running on a platform of “innovation and rapid delivery for services,” and added that citizens “will be empowered, not only to choose priorities but also to the make their own contribution to the community.”

The entrepreneur has previously advertised for a Peterborough running-mate after admitting that he is “weak on the special nature of Peterborough.”

Another person to put themselves forward is Peterborough city councillor Ed Murphy, Labour and Co-Operative member for Ravensthorpe ward.