Police & Crime Commissioner election
Posted by Kate Green, MP for Stretford and Urmston, at 11:36, Wed 14 November 2012:
This Thursday, we will go to the polls to elect the first Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Greater Manchester. I'll be supporting Labour's excellent candidate, Tony Lloyd.
Over the past few months, I've been out campaigning with Tony in my constituency, and right across Greater Manchester. He's a great candidate to campaign for: very well known, highly respected, and warmly liked.
But even with such a strong candidate, I'm really concerned that we may see a very low turnout. Although there has been a bit of an upswing in the level of public awareness that the election is even happening, many people have told me they don't really understand what it's all about.
That's hardly surprising. First, the Tory-led government forced through an incredibly far-reaching change to our system of policing, that no-one, from the police to the public to organisations speaking up for victims and communities, actually wants. Ministers ignored all warnings that the creation of these new PCCs risk politicising the police, ignored warnings of the risk of extremist candidates ending up in charge of our police force, ignored concerns about the cost.
Then, having pushed through their half baked ideas, they delayed the first elections from May to November, and then, quite simply, they sat back. Ministers did nothing to inform the electorate about the elections. They have done nothing to explain the role. There hasn't been the usual freepost to enable all candidates to contact all voters to explain their views.
This is not a good situation, and along with Labour MPs, I voted against the introduction of PCCs. But now the elections are going ahead, it's vital we elect someone who'll put our community first.
Tony's clear about his priorities: investing in frontline community policing, speaking up for the victims of crime, building trust and confidence in our police. I know from conversations around the constituency these are also my constituents' priorities, whether it's concerns about antisocial behaviour, wanting to protect harmony between different communities, or young people who think they're unfairly hassled by the police.
It's very important we give Tony a big mandate for these priorities, as a powerful statement of the kind of policing we want. Please use your vote this Thursday - you've got the option to vote a first and second preference, but Labour advises you use your first preference only - mark your vote for Tony Lloyd.
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Posted by John Keggen, 09:16, Thu 15 November 2012: (Is this post abusive?) #
If you're concerned "that the creation of these new PCCs risk politicising the police", you could always do something radical and vote for a candidate that doesn't align themselves to a political party. You could also disregard what Labour tells you to do and vote for a second preference if you have one; you are allowed to have opinions of your own! My concern would be that any political candidate will blindly follow what the party chiefs in Whitehall tell them to do .