The Police and Crime Commissioner is a relatively new post, introduced as an exercise in cultural populism by the Conservative Party, replacing the chair of the old Police Authority. It was the second election in my life that I spoilt my ballot paper on. After being underwhelmed by the performance of our Labour PCC Mark Burns-Williamson at our Town Council last year I have been weighing up if I should run or not.
The advantages are many, this is a position that there is not much public or party-political enthusiasm for, as can be attested by the results below;
Mark Burns-Williamson (Labour) - 102,817 (47.9%)
+11,919 second preference votes
Cedric Christie (Independent) - 49,299 (23%)
+22,577 second preference votes
Geraldine Carter (Conservative) - 45,365 (21.1%)
Andrew Marchington (Liberal Democrat) - 17,247 (8%)
Burns-Williamson was the long-time chair of the West Yorkshire Police Authority, but an unknown Independent was able to come a respectable second place, ahead of the noxious Tory from my home District of Calderdale and the bible-bashing Liberal Democrat. None of the candidates did any actual campaigning beyond their home towns.
If I decide to run, I would run of the following policies:
1. I would fight to STAMP OUT Pakistani grooming operations county-wide, and demand a doubling of all preventive efforts against this.
2. I would put a stop to all heavy handed tactics used by the Police to stifle political protest such as "kettling", all restrictions on marches which cannot be shown as needed to prevent breach of public order and politically motivated prosecutions.
3. I would prioritise tackling crime against domestic crime against women, children, the elderly and the vulnerable in our society.
4. I would operate a zero-tolerance policy against travellers and gypsies who illegally occupy private or public land and devote resources to this purpose.
5. I would end all excessive drives that are motivated by political correctness, including the "hate crime" and "counter extremism" programmes, as a lawful government has no place interfering with the political beliefs of its population.
The advantages are many, this is a position that there is not much public or party-political enthusiasm for, as can be attested by the results below;
Mark Burns-Williamson (Labour) - 102,817 (47.9%)
+11,919 second preference votes
Cedric Christie (Independent) - 49,299 (23%)
+22,577 second preference votes
Geraldine Carter (Conservative) - 45,365 (21.1%)
Andrew Marchington (Liberal Democrat) - 17,247 (8%)
Burns-Williamson was the long-time chair of the West Yorkshire Police Authority, but an unknown Independent was able to come a respectable second place, ahead of the noxious Tory from my home District of Calderdale and the bible-bashing Liberal Democrat. None of the candidates did any actual campaigning beyond their home towns.
If I decide to run, I would run of the following policies:
1. I would fight to STAMP OUT Pakistani grooming operations county-wide, and demand a doubling of all preventive efforts against this.
2. I would put a stop to all heavy handed tactics used by the Police to stifle political protest such as "kettling", all restrictions on marches which cannot be shown as needed to prevent breach of public order and politically motivated prosecutions.
3. I would prioritise tackling crime against domestic crime against women, children, the elderly and the vulnerable in our society.
4. I would operate a zero-tolerance policy against travellers and gypsies who illegally occupy private or public land and devote resources to this purpose.
5. I would end all excessive drives that are motivated by political correctness, including the "hate crime" and "counter extremism" programmes, as a lawful government has no place interfering with the political beliefs of its population.