Police head election ‘is descending into party politics’ (From Daily Echo)
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Police head election ‘is descending into party politics’
11:39am Monday 30th July 2012 in Politics
John Apter
THE RACE to run Hampshire’s police force is descending into party politics , officers have warned.
Voters will choose the county’s first ever Police and Crime Commissioner on November 15. The winner will be paid £80,000 and will have the power to fire chief constable Alex Marshall and set the force’s budget.
But John Apter, of Hampshire Police Federation, warned about the politicisation of the campaign, saying it was vital for candidates to be independent.
He was speaking after Labour leader Ed Miliband said the vote should become a referendum on government cuts.
Launching his party’s candidates with a speech in London, Mr Miliband said: “These elections must be a referendum on the wisdom of decisions which will see at least 15,000 officers lost by 2015.” Hampshire Police is aiming to make cuts worth £48 million by 2015, which will see dozens of officer posts removed.
Mr Apter said he was opposed to the “damaging” cuts but added political speeches should be kept for General Elections.
He said: “This is doing exactly what we said should not happen – it’s politicising the issue, for political gain.
“Our view, very strongly, is that Police and Crime Commissioners should be as independent as they can. I understand that political parties will field candidates, but people should vote for them on their credibility, and whether they would serve the local community, not which party they stand for.”
Labour’s candidate is Southampton councillor and former Police Authority chair Jacqui Rayment, and former MP Michael Mates is running for the Conservatives .
Comments(12)
Paramjit Bahia
says...
12:30pm Mon 30 Jul 12
NuLabour's unpredictable hypocrite closet Consrvative Leader opening his opportunist cake hole should start the alarm bells about shapes of things to come ringing loudly.
Sadly decision to alter the nature of our unique form of policing and Americanising it has already been made by our Parliament dominated by opportunist alliance of Tories and lousy Liberal Democrats. So there is not much we the people can do but be prepared to pay the price for this folly.
Interesting that Ed Milliband wants to exploit elections of Police Commissioners for votes against cuts, but his mob in Southampton Council are making the life of two Councillors (Don Thomas and Keith Morrell) hell, because they did exactly that i.e. voted against cuts...... How can NuLabour supporters on this site not admitt that not only this is hypocrisy but NuLabour is also absolutely unprincipled because it is always criticising socialist organisations which oppose the cuts.
These could be good reasons why in Hampshire we should not be voting for NuLabour's candidate Jacqi Rayment for Fat Controller's job.
mack chinnon
says...
12:53pm Mon 30 Jul 12
How do you apply.
Over the Edge
says...
2:04pm Mon 30 Jul 12
mack chinnon wrote:I think you have to be a member of a political party.
I wouldnt mind that job.
How do you apply.
How can the appointment of a police commissioner be anything other than political when the two candidate represent Labour and the Conservatives.
An appointment of someone independent would be the only way to ensure a non-political person get's the job.
Over the Edge
says...
2:05pm Mon 30 Jul 12
mack chinnon wrote:try
I wouldnt mind that job.
How do you apply.
www.jobsfortheboys.c
om
mack chinnon
says...
2:36pm Mon 30 Jul 12
Over the Edge wrote:Do you have to do a funny handshake?
mack chinnon wrote:try
I wouldnt mind that job.
How do you apply.
www.jobsfortheboys.c
om
Paramjit Bahia
says...
3:12pm Mon 30 Jul 12
mack chinnon wrote:More than likely YES
Over the Edge wrote:Do you have to do a funny handshake?
mack chinnon wrote:try
I wouldnt mind that job.
How do you apply.
www.jobsfortheboys.c
om
B. L.
says...
3:36pm Mon 30 Jul 12
If so, what do the present Chief Constables do ?
Or is this just enlarging the trough in times of austerity ?
opera phantom
says...
4:58pm Mon 30 Jul 12
Just think, the poor people up country could end up with that idiot Prescott as Commisioner. How big a joke would that be?
george h
says...
5:31pm Mon 30 Jul 12
opera phantom wrote:Not a funny joke at all IMO.
Bloody politicians should not be allowed to stand as Commissioners. They are bent. They are bound to turn it into a political circus. Sweety Milliband should keep his nose out.
Just think, the poor people up country could end up with that idiot Prescott as Commisioner. How big a joke would that be?
And as for our local candidate for Fat Controller, - she's always been a joke; only recently trying to defy the Information Commissioner who ruled that audio recordings in taxis were unlawful. And now - using our money of course, - she wants to appeal the Information Commissioner's judgement. Ar*****e!
On the inside
says...
5:33pm Mon 30 Jul 12
SotonGreen
says...
7:58am Fri 3 Aug 12
The Labour party have put up Cllr Jacqui Rayment. She is supposed to be our communities cabinet member, she is supposed to be representing Bevois. It is difficult to see how she can be doing either of these paid positions effectively when she is touring Hampshire & IoW trying to persuade people to give her yet another job.
Meanwhile the Tories have put up and old failed Politician who was forced out under a crowd last time he was in public life.
The whole thing is a joke, noone is clamoring for yet another election. The big three parties all think the same group think on policing anyway just evidenced by Cllr Rayment not voting against signing Hampshire PA upto the recent round of privatization contracts. That is the vision they are pushing private police forces, accountable to a single individual rather than the communities they are supposed to serve.
Condor Man says...
11:47am Mon 30 Jul 12