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The PCC elections are an omnishambles – but Labour has questions to answer too

October 31, 2012 8:52 pm

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How on earth do you get two weeks away from an election before you realise you weren’t eligible to stand? That’s the question Lee Barron - and the Labour Party – must answer today, after Labour’s candidate for Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner was forced to stand down.

Part of me almost feels sympathy for him – after all, the rules that have excluded two Labour PCC candidates (and threatened others) for ’convictions’ that took place a lifetime ago are clearly ridiculous. I’ve railed against them before here on numerous occasions. They ban candidates from being PCCs for “offences” that wouldn’t bar the same people from becoming Prime Minister or Home Secretary. They make a mockery of the whole idea of Police and Crime Commissioners. They call the legitimacy of the whole process into question. They’ve become an Omnishambles.

And yet Barron will have known about these problems with other candidates for months. All candidates had – presumably – been warned as to the risks of youthful misadventures on their candidacies. And yet Barron has remained as Labour’s candidate despite having been “guilty” of the same kind of “offence” that caused other candidates to stand down.

Of course this is made doubly embarrassing by the fact that Corby, where Labour has a by-election on the same day as the PCC elections, is in Northamptonshire. Surely the Labour Party can’t have dropped the ball this badly when it comes to carrying out due dilligence on Labour candidates? My understanding was that the party had been clear with candidates about the need to disclose anything that might bar them from standing. The statement from the party suggests that today was the first they knew of Barron’s conviction. So what went on? When did it become clear that Barron was ineligible, and how? And did Barron manage to carry on under the impression that he was still an eligible candidate? If so, how?

In short – who knew what when?

The people of Northamptonshire – including Corby – will now be unable to vote for a Labour candidate for PCC. That’s completely unforgivable.A full and thorough explanation of how that came to pass is needed.

Related posts:

  1. Labour statement on suspended PCC candidate
  2. Finally, some common sense (but these PCC elections are still a farce)
  3. Key election questions remain the same and the answer is still Labour
  4. Why won’t John Leech MP answer basic questions?
  5. PCC Elections: how will Labour perform?
  • SimonJones10

    I assume the party only heard about this today. This may sound harsh but all the candidates have had plenty of warning now; the sad truth is that Lee Barron is the only person to blame for denying people in Northamptonshire a Labour candidate to vote for.

    This doesn’t need an investigation, it just needs common sense from candidates.

  • AlanGiles

    The whole concept of Police Commissioners was a farce IMO, and the goings on surrounding the elections and those standing (or not) is equally farcical. Frankly this is one election I will not take part in. It will, as the saying goes, only encourage them.

    • JeevanJones

       Alan, consider this: bad politicians are elected by good voters who do not vote.

      While the concept of elected commissioners is repulsive to our British way of policing, not voting perhaps leaves us all open to far worse commissioners using their powers in terrible ways.

    • MikeHomfray

      I am leaning towards that view. Labour should be making it clear that these posts will be fine term only should we be re elected

  • AlanGiles

    The whole concept of Police Commissioners was a farce IMO, and the goings on surrounding the elections and those standing (or not) is equally farcical. Frankly this is one election I will not take part in. It will, as the saying goes, only encourage them.

  • http://twitter.com/ibbyullah ibby

    Rules are pathetic and need changing fast. However, if Barron had fully declared his conviction, which he claims to have done, then surely the Party is at fault? The outcome isn’t good.

  • Brumanuensis

    To follow on from the zombie theme of Andrew Harrop’s piece yesterday, can we please put a bullet through the head of the word ‘Omnishambles’.

  • AlanGiles

    My problem – or one of them – is that the party political element of these elections are really just to keep alive, from beyond the Westminster grave, old worn-out politicians who really should now be enjoying their retirement (i.e. Prescott et al). Not an insignificant number were also caught up in the expenses scandal. I think you need to be Ceacsers Wife if you intend occupying a position like this.

  • http://www.facebook.com/andrew.tattersall Andrew Tattersall

    He can’t stand down as the closing date for candidate to withdraw has passed do he is still the candidate although what happens if he should be so unlikely to win is anyone’s guess.

    It is a further example of the uselessness of the people involved in this that they have publicised that he is standing down when he can’t withdraw. It is elections ABC.

  • David Brede

    The report in the Northampton Chronicle and Echo suggests that Lee Barron had informed the party of the offence ‘before he was selected’. Therefore there is some dispute about when this information was provided and therefore who was at fault

    Clearly an investigation of this disaster needs to be carried out by personnel independent of the party in the area to determine the facts in a dispassionate manner.

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