Possibly the most appalling election ever foisted on British public is finally over. A strange new beast in the form of Police and Crime Commissioners who nobody wanted, have now been imposed on the public with possibly the smallest slice of the electoral vote in history.
If ever there was a case of politicians failing to listen to what the electorate do not want, the PCC elections have proved just that.
In the lowest electoral turnout ever, the British public have clearly voted with their feet to express their collective displeasure at what will probably prove a contentious and possibly nonsensical new level of interference now injected into the police hierarchy.
The new Police Commissioners are supposed to set policy and budgets in police forces which in the main, have more than adequately done well enough on their own in the past. One of the problems with setting policy is most of the new commissioners are from political parties which is likely to lead to a wide difference in policy being set in each police area. Chief Constables may well have different ideas and all this election has done is set the stage for unnecessary confrontation between the two. If such confrontation occurs, ultimately it will probably be the public that probably suffer through effects on policing.
The turnout in the elections averaged between 13% – 20% with those elected only receiving a fraction of this derisory small percentage. There are claims that in some polling stations, no one cast any votes at all. Some will claim that it was apathetic voters failing to turn out but in truth, the majority of voters will not be dissimilar to myself. I am certainly not apathetic and I am quite proud to announce that for the first time ever, I DID NOT VOTE IN THIS ELECTION. I did not vote because I did not want police commissioners, however it is not possible under the electoral system we have to cast a no vote or where a candidate failing to secure a minimum percentage of the vote is not elected at all. Not voting was the only way that I and probably most of the electorate could silently voice our displeasure.
It is going to prove difficult for the new police commissioners to claim they have a mandate from the people to carry out whatever policies they subscribe to. The easiest thing for politicians to now do is admit the entire fiasco has been a big mistake and pass the necessary legislation to revert back to the previously and publically acceptable position. However what government will ever admit it made a mistake?
It now appears this distinctly uneven playing field has been set which as time passes is likely to prove even more unpopular with the public.
Filed under: Police Commissioner Who?–The people nobody wants, The Political Page | Tagged: applalling election, casting a no vote, I did not vote, imposed, no public mandate, PCC, Police and Crime Commissioners, voicing displeasure silently, voted with their feet | 1 Comment »
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