THE election for the Wiltshire and Swindon Police and Crime Commissioner will have to be re-run after the favourite Jonathon Seed won the election by a landslide 41,929 votes.

Mr Seed, the Conservative candidate, polled a total of 100,003 first and second preference votes to win the election.

He announced that he would have to withdraw after being disbarred by the Tory Party HQ in London because of an historic 30-year-old drink driving conviction.

Read more: Live updates on Wiltshire PCC count after candidate disqualified

The conviction in 1993 was an imprisonable offence and PCC rules mean that Mr Seed needed to declare it on the nomination forms.

The Liberal Democrat candidate Liz Webster finished second with a total of 58,074 first and second preference votes.

The results of the first preference votes are as follows:

• Junab Ali (Labour): 34147

• Julian Malins (Reform UK): 4348

• Brig Oubridge (Green): 16606

• Mike Rees (Independent): 31722

• Jonathon Seed (Conservative): 84885

• Liz Webster (Liberal Democrats): 35013

The total number of valid first and second preference votes cast for the remaining candidates is:

• Jonathon Seed (Conservative): 100,003

• Liz Webster (Liberal Democrats): 58,074

Terence Herbert, Wiltshire and Swindon Police and Crime Commissioner Area Returning Officer, said: “The election count for the Wiltshire and Swindon Police and Crime Commissioner has been completed today at Five Rivers Health and Wellbeing Centre in Salisbury, and Jonathon Seed, the Conservative Party candidate, has been declared as the winner.

“The result of this election marks the culmination of a long and busy weekend for our hard working staff, who have managed a COVID-secure election across 348 polling stations in Wiltshire, and counts for 98 Wiltshire Council unitary divisions; 63 city, town and parish elections; and the PCC election.

"I’d like to thank them all for all their hard work during the past few months. They are true public servants.”

The council’s Head of Paid Service will be considering the next steps to take following this election after taking appropriate legal advice.

Other PCC candidates are calling for Wiltshire Police to mount a criminal investigation into Mr Seed's nomination and decision to stand.

They have been left reeling from the news tax-payers may have to fork out up to £1.4 million for another election.

Mike Rees, who is running for the role as an independent, has said there “needs to be consideration” given into a criminal investigation into Mr Seed’s actions.

Mr Rees said that Mr Seed has made a “complete farce” of the process – where candidates must pay £5,000 to run.

Liz Webster said: "Jonathan Seed has treated Wiltshire and Swindon residents with total contempt. He has betrayed their trust, wasted their time and a vast amount of public money.

“Re-running this election will cost‎ tax payers £1.4m, require residents to go to vote again and deny our tired elections staff their well deserved break. All of that is an absolute disgrace.

“I am ready to fight again to be a powerful voice for the victims of crime, champion our dedicated police officers and staff, and to take the action needed to make our communities safer and bring law breakers to justice.”

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