‘Wrong’ candidate
Med Hughes’s decision to seek Labour’s nomination for the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner election is no surprise. It is no secret that senior Labour figures have been pushing for his nomination for some time, waiting for the right moment.
The right time has come now South Yorkshire Police has found someone willing to become Chief Constable. Only one candidate emerged after the second candidate made an unexpected withdrawal.
It is now clear why this was. The prospect of Med Hughes being ‘the real Chief Constable’ would risk undermining the incumbent’s credibility.
Chief Constable David Crompton has been deputy in West Yorkshire and if Mr Hughes is elected could be perceived to be once again a deputy. Staff recruited and promoted by Hughes would inevitably have be loyal to him, potentially damaging Crompton’s authority.
An ex-chief constable should not run for commissioner in the area he commanded, especially so soon after retirement. Crompton’s job will be tough enough without the previous Chief Constable looking over his shoulder.
Labour has the opportunity to choose a candidate who would enhance the role of commissioner, not usurp the authority of the chief constable. We will announce soon whether to stand a candidate. An alternative would be an independent who could draw support from all parties.
Mohd Ilyas, Chair, Rotherham & Barnsley Lib Dems
Med Hughes was a very good chief constable. However, for many reasons, it would be wrong for him to be a candidate – supported by any party, or as an independent.
I believe his candidature would go against the spirit of good governance. It would put the new chief constable in an impossible position and lead to a blurring of the responsibilities of a commissioner and chief constable, resulting in the politicisation of the police. Whatever the superficial attraction I hope he will reflect, seek wiser counsel, and withdraw.
Howard A Knight, S4
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Friday 25 May 2012
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Comments
There are 6 comments to this article
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waywoodwind
Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 12:51 PMSouth Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner ,,,,, we want a man who isn’t a lap dog stooge or a quango sitter ,,,,, we want a man who will prosecute bring justice retribution to all the guilty,,,, some one who make a city fit for our citizens especially children walk our streets in safety ,,,,,, most likely put my name up for the job
scratch`
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 02:03 PMWhy should we believe a lib-dems claims about 'senior Labour figures'? It's clear he's trying to get his campaigning under way on the cheap, in the Star letters. As for the shortage of senior offcers going for the top job - that's more likely due to the lack of enthusiasm for the crazy tory policy of elected commissioners, not the prospect of any particular individual, given that no candidtaes have yet been confirmed. Are we really supposed to believe that these senior officers can see so far into the future that they can pick the winner from an undeclared field?
seenitall
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 05:19 PMAt least we will have a vote...pity Party Politics will mire the water!
Ivan Eddake
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 02:58 PMMr Hughes always fancied himself as a media celebrity, typical of the new breed of senior police officers who rapidly rise through the ranks without ever seeing an angry man. His supposed political neutrality, when chief constable, has been shown up for what it was, a complete and utter sham. Unfortunately, when these high fliers enter the police via left wing universities, their political leanings go with the territory. There is so much clap trap in the police about race and diversity, it is amazing that any crime fighting gets done. His hypocricy knows no bounds.
yorkshire65
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:38 AMComment removed by moderator
Sir Taxedalot
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:06 AMAt a time when politicians reputations are in the gutter they just find ways to make themselves look even worse. Med Hughes was an awful Chief Constable and should never have been appointed in the first place. He left under a cloud after complaining bitterly about having to run a police force cost effectively. Something he clearly could not do. Now Labour want him as their man to carry on complaining about the effect of cuts and to undermine the attempts of the new Chief Plod to do the job Hughes could not do. It's obvious why senior plods were not queuing up for the job of Chief Constable knowing they would have to deal with Labour muppets. So, as usual, we end up with second rate public sector management to appease a few Socialist loons. No wonder the city is in the state it's in.
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