Rt Hon. Jacqui Smith, Britain’s first woman home secretary, has backed Paul Richards in the selection to be Labour’s candidate for police commissioner in Sussex.
Jacqui Smith said: ‘Paul has been at the heart of government and at the heart of his community. He would provide a strong voice for local people on crime and policing. He has the experience to get the best from local policing. He would make a fine Police Commissioner.’
Paul Richards said: ‘I am delighted to have Jacqui’s endorsement. She joins hundreds of Labour party members from Chichester to Crawley, from Hove to Hastings, who have been offering their support to my campaign. There’s real anger at the Tory cuts, and a desire for a strong campaigning Labour voice in this election.’
Paul Richards, living in Eastbourne with his wife and two sons, was a ‘special adviser’ to the last Labour government on community cohesion and counter-terrorism.
TopOfTheCops.com 
I have met Paul and he is a great bloke and if he gets his Parties nomination in June I look forward to campaigning against him (there are other candidates I understand). I am delighted that he has so many endorsements and clearly support from a previous Home Secretary is a great thing to have on your CV. My only reservation is how does Jaqui Smith know so much about the community in Sussex? Are those CCTV systems hooked up to the Home Office after all, or does MI6 keep the Home Secretary informed on the way in which Labour Party members are engaged in their communities (Big Brother may have arrived after all)?
You do know, Ian, that she’s not Home Secretary any more? There was an election and everything.
So she has time on her hands…
Perhaps we should have a prize for the best endorsement.
Ibby Master in Lancashire has got Jack Straw’s backing, which I think is better.
Hi Sam, yes I was aware. However I also keep an ear out for what happens in Sussex. Indeed that is my strength. Outside the political classes and Eastbourne even Paul is relatively unknown, but Jacqui is not someone known for local connections so if she has observed Paul, it has certainly been some sort of covert work!
Personally I cannot offer any high names from a party political background but I do have several Bishops, Business leaders, Academics, Community leaders. The list is almost irrelevant outside of Sussex but most people will have heard of my supporters.
The Pope, perhaps?
That would be an impressive endorsement, even to a Protestant.
Can you get the Pope?
Thatcher?
Hi Sam
I think that the Pope would be outside my scope but perhaps other candidates are better connected?
I went to school with the Archbishop of Canterbury – does that count?
That counts. Archbishop of Canterbury constitutionally outranks Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary, and the Pope for that matter, but only if he actually endorses you.
I think that Godfrey deserves the first approach to Rowan, I am not sure if he would endorse either of us but I do know him.
Thanks Ian – but personally, I think religion is best kept out of politics. So I won’t trouble my old friend!
I am pretty certain that Rowan would rather keep politics out of religion so we have a match.