Police Commissioner candidates will face each other
THE men vying to become the region's first police and crime commissioner will face each other for the first time today.
The six candidates for the £75,000-a-year role will take questions from students about their plans if they are elected in November.
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In the spotlight: The six candidates vying to become the region's first police and crime commissioner will face each other for the first time today. Picture: Kate Woolhouse
Labour candidate Lord Prescott, Conservative Matthew Grove and UKIP candidate Godfrey Bloom will all take part in the event.
They will be joined by the three independent candidates – former senior police officer Paul Davison, former Tory MP Walter Sweeney and unemployed Neil Eyre.
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Today's event is taking place on one of the busiest days of the campaign so far, with UKIP candidate Godfrey Bloom due to launch his campaign in Hull this morning.
The MEP will be joined by former Humberside Police Deputy Chief Constable Mike Speakman as his running mate.
Mr Bloom said: "My team has more experience than other candidates.
"The job requires patience, listening, time and flexibility.
"Some think it is a part-time job, it is not. My responsibility is to ordinary taxpaying middle- England. It is not a job for those with only political experience."
Mr Bloom has said he will resign from his role if elected.
Mr Speakman said: "Godfrey has the right ideas and I want to help get him elected."
Today's event in Grimsby will see the candidates spell out their plans to groups of students at the town's University Centre.
They will then take questions.
It has been organised by various voluntary and community groups from across both banks of the Humber to increase interest in the forthcoming election.
Mr Grove said: "It has all been a bit of a false war up until now, but I think there is now a lot more interest in it.
"It is going to be a very interesting campaign."
The police and crime commissioner will replace Humberside Police Authority, which is being abolished.
Elections will be held on November 15, with the commissioner starting work a week later.
They will have responsibility for setting the force's budget, hiring and firing chief constables and producing a police and crime plan for the region.
One of their first tasks will be to find a replacement for outgoing Chief Constable Tim Hollis, who will retire next year.
Comments
by TheEmperor
Sunday, September 09 2012, 2:42PM
“Even if Neil Eyre hadn't been a soldier, he would still get my vote. But I totally agree. Neil gave. The other candidates just take, take, take, all the time and every time. Therefore Neil deserves the job. End of.”
by froggy39
Sunday, September 09 2012, 1:52PM
“It seems to me that the organisers of this whole fiasco are taking the p155. Why could the candidates for this ridiculous non-job not have appeared before members of the public in an old style hustings type of meeting. After all, it is we who will have to put up with whoever gets in for a mandatory and unbreakable 5 years. I have not seen a great deal of information about the candidates but it seems to me that the only one sho has much integrity is Neil Eyre. He served his country in the forces whilst the rest of them took as much as they could rather than gave. If he fought for us then that is all the more reason for electing him. Let us not forget that organisation and discipline, things the new Police Gauleiter will need, are part and parcel of a soldiers daily routine. Give Neil the chance. Oh, and by the way, he makes a good point when he says that HDM refer to all other candidates as ex-some job or other and him as the unemployed. Come on HDM, forget about your Prescott bias for once and give the ex soldier a fair crack of the whip.”
by TheEmperor
Sunday, September 09 2012, 9:11AM
“I have already made up my mind. Neil Eyre, you are getting my vote. I think you have more honour in one cubic millimetre of your little finger than the entire rest of the candidates put together. One tip from me. If you get in, weed out corruption and mutual backscratching in the upper echelons of the force. Be utterly ruthless about this, and sack everyone who is involved. The force is full of it, and it's gone on for longer than I have been alive. It's got to stop.”
by Neil_Eyre
Saturday, September 08 2012, 9:48PM
“Try again,
Hello all,
Just thought i would let you know that it wasn't a debate. the format for the event was changed on Wednesday i think, hang let me check my email.....yes it was Wednesday. We didn't talk or argue. I did exchange a few words with the other independents and the Tory candidate. We all had two handlers who ferried us between three rooms with people in that would ask us questions. Got to say that the room with the criminology class in it were really good with their questions. I was told to give answers in two minute bits but i never stuck with it. 2 minutes just isn't enough sometimes and i'm not playing that political soundbite game so i over ran with every question until i felt i had answered the question adequately. I did get a bit of good feedback afterwards. It was a gorgeous day. Hot and sunny. I do think they were a tad surprised when i turned up in shorts and tshirt carrying a notepad and pen.
Oh and one last thing. Yes im out of work, but it only just happened! former senior police officer Paul Davison is technically out of work but he gets the 'former' treatment. If that's the case then why am i not 'the former soldier Neil Eyre'
come on!
Thanks for all the support from the comments section”
by Neil_Eyre
Saturday, September 08 2012, 9:44PM
“Hello all,
Just thought i would let you know that it wasn't a debate. the format for the event was changed on Wednesday i think, hang let me check my email.....yes it was Wednesday. We didn't talk or argue. I did exchange a few words with the other independents and the Tory candidate. We all had two handlers who ferried us between three rooms with people in that would ask us questions. Got to say that the room with the criminology class in it were really good with their questions. I was told to give answers in two minute bits but i never stuck with it. 2 minutes just isn't enough sometimes and i'm not playing that political soundbite game so i over ran with every question until i felt i had answered the question adequately. I did get a bit of good feedback afterwards. It was a gorgeous day. Hot and sunny. I do think they were a tad surprised when i turned up in shorts and tshirt carrying a notepad and pen.
Oh and one last thing. Yes im out of work, but it only just happened! former senior police officer Paul Davison is technically out of work but he gets the 'former' treatment. If that's the case then why am i not 'the former soldier Neil Eyre'
come on!
Thanks for all the support from the comments section”
by Anyoldiron1
Saturday, September 08 2012, 10:47AM
“To Sirlaffalot. 11.46AM 7th Sept. There is no better way of getting your message across if you do NOT want this extra layer of EU Governance forced upon us and for which we will ALL have to contribute finacially to whether we like it or not (For this legislation will indeed happen because the EU says it must) Go to vote and put one GREAT CROSS from corner to corner on the ballot paper. If we ALL did that, eventually the message WILL get across.”
by quietvoice
Saturday, September 08 2012, 9:20AM
“I wouldn't trust Tory Matthew Grove. A jumped up councillor who plotted against his own Tory group at county hall. An untrust worthy, smarmy no one. He's in it for him self, ideas. One one party stands for law and order, UKIP. The usual 3 have failed us all. No extra prison places, weak sentencing. Show these 3 that they can no longer be trusted. Vote for Godfrey, straight talking and in it for the people.”
by Anyoldiron1
Saturday, September 08 2012, 8:19AM
“The Question is, can we all afford to pay this NEW organization of Elected Police Commissioners, set up by foreigners in the EU through its Localism Act, yet put through by Mr Cameron as his own idea? Can we afford to pay elected Mayors that we have never had before, again through the EU's Localism Act (See the Council of Europe where little ticks are put when acts are completed) It is time we started questioning why we are still voting and PAYING for a British Government that has to obey EU orders just like the rest of us. Have you any idea just how much more money the EU REGIONS also set up by Mr Cameron through the Localism Act are costing YOU. Some of the Money has come from the reduction of our Defence-the protection of this once GREAT Country. (Just as we were so unprepared for war in 1939-Ground Hog Day-AGAIN!) Yet this Country contributes financially to the EU Defence Agency. You are ALL VOTONG to pay more of you own money out. Wouldn't it be better if no one took the EU bait through-out the United Kingdom? YOU-THE PEOPLE WILL BE PAYING FOR ALL THESE EXTRA LAYERS OF GOVERNANCE-HOW MUCH FREEDOM WILL ANY OF YOU HAVE LEFT?”
by Prescotts_Cat
Friday, September 07 2012, 4:45PM
“Just overheard reports of today's meeting and I can confirm it ended up with eggs being thrown and another punch up.”
by JayOnly
Friday, September 07 2012, 1:40PM
“laffalot; the amount of time and attention this topic is getting from you tells me you really ought to go and vote. it's very emotive subject, dear to your heart. Go and vote Pit Bull Prezza, he might ask you round to watch his home movies...I've heard they're hot hot HOT. Mrs looks good dressed in ermine robes”