Police vote - Choose an independent

The election for the Police and Crime Commissioner is fast approaching. I stood last time as an independent and won the first ballot but lost on the second to another independent candidate. Lincolnshire was unique in having such a strong turnout for candidates who did not believe that the police should be run by party politicians.

For years we have had a failing criminal justice system. The number of serious repeat offenders has increased. Drug addicts, who often are victims of crime themselves, found guilty of theft to buy drugs go to prison as drug addicts and come out as drug addicts and the cycle of crime carries on. Successive labour and conservatives governments have failed to tackle these problems or serious and persistent anti-social behaviour.

I strongly believe we need an independent PCC, who will have no party loyalty, who will stand up for the ordinary citizen. We need an independent PCC who will challenge our local MPs and local political leaders who have sat by whilst we have the worst funded police force in the country. We need a PCC who will challenge the government on their failed policies on rehabilitation and repeat offending.

Again the government is making it hard for independent candidates to fight this election. For the elections for MP’s, the post office distribute election leaflets; for the PCC elections no such support is given. However the election statements of candidates in Lincolnshire can be found at www.choosemypcc.org.uk or by phoning 0800 1070708.

Can I please urge you to look carefully at the candidates and their independence from national party politics (which should have no influence over local policing) before casting your vote. Remember if you do not vote you cannot complain.

David Bowles

by email