19/06/2012

Should Plaid and the Lib Dems think again about Police Commissioner Elections?

From what I understand neither Plaid Cymru nor The Liberal Democrats intend to propose nominees for election to the Police Commissioners posts next November.

I had been told that Plaid might be willing to give practical support to an independent candidate who was generally favourable to the national cause, so I looked at the possibilities of standing as an independent. But the evidence proves that it would be absolutely impossible for an independent to mount a credible campaign in policing areas as huge as Dyfed Powys and the North; in terms of costs, resources and of practicality so there is no point in a candidate standing without the support of a political party or a similar organisation.

So it appears that our choice come next November will be between the Labour candidate, the Conservative candidate or a person with more money than sense!

9 comments:

  1. So do we not bother voting or do we spoil our ballot?

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  2. I suspect turn out will be derisory - spoiling the paper is a real option, and remember if you write something then the returning officer will show it to all the candidates or their agents before ruling it as spoiled.

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  3. I must practice writing out 'Alun Michael you are a knob!'

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  4. A campaign for people to write in 'Alun Michael you are a knob!' could get real momentum!

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  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  6. Or in North Wales "Tal Michael you are the son of a Knob" or is he one in his own right?"

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  7. Why are we copying a American elected Sheriff system anyway! The crime rate here in the States are the highest in the Western World!!

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  8. Yep its a huge US-style generalisation. Crime is the result of social and economic problems. Electing commissioners who have no social or economic levers to deal with crime is a waste of time.

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  9. Hey it's not impossible for an independent to mount a credible campaign in North Wales. Or anywhere else for that matter - no-one wants their police force under the control of a political party. Don't be so miserable!

    I just need enough people to vote for me now. Simples. Like nationalists who believe in devolving police accountability to a Commissioner on our doorstep rather than a remote politician in Cardiff who takes his/her orders from London anyway.

    It's not a cheap import from the US by the way, and Police Commissioners will have control of the Drugs Intervention Programme budget and some community safety moneys so there are definitely some levers of power to pull on frantically!

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