The results of the Labour selection process are here, but could be removed at any point, lack commentary and, in the party’s ongoing obsession with regions, are not in nice alphabetical order – so my version below is better!

By my reckoning 32,781 Labour party members voted in these elections. 12 of the 41 candidates were unopposed, and so won without a postal ballot. In 1 of these cases (Suffolk) a shortlisted candidate withdrew, producing an uncontested result. In other cases competing candidates were not allowed onto what became a shortlist of one.

The following points summarise the results for me:-

• There are a fair few ex-MPs and ex-Ministers whose high profile will have helped them get elected.
• Some of these high-profile figures had very close results. Lord Prescott won the Humberside nomination with 552 votes, only 94 votes ahead of a former policeman who had recently become politically active. Alun Michael won the South Wales nomination with 1,142 votes, only 82 votes ahead of another ex-cop. If senior figures can’t win Labour hearts with such established reputations it does not auger well if they are representing Labour outside of safe Labour territory – and Humberside is one such place.
• The party has therefore chosen some high-profile politicians by a whisker, ahead of people with police knowledge and experience, exactly the opposite of what polling is telling us that voters want and expect in PCC candidates. Yet the high votes for relatively unknown ex-cops underlines the fact that this experience is valued by voters. Labour have ended up with a risky strategy, effectively chosen by a handful of Labour party members. It represents an opportunity for their opponents who have yet to select candidates.
• The election featured online campaigning, emails, and use of Twitter, but to what effect? Paul Richards and Jon Harvey could hardly have had higher online political profiles, but still lost.
• Some tell me that about half the Labour membership list don’t have email addresses, a problem in a place like Lancashire where, mid-election, Clive Grunshaw was ordered to apologise to his opponents for comments about them in a campaign leaflet. Their statements were emailed to party members, but it looks like half the membership could vote without knowing this fact, and the party is left with a candidate who they have found guilty of breaking the rules.
• The election featured candidates seeking and winning union endorsements, with mailshots paid for by unions. Given the margins of victory in some cases this may have made a real difference in candidate selection. Some of these unions represent police staff. Was this money well spent by the unions, and what is the impact on democracy if it was?
• Unless the November elections produce a Bradford West style upset, these internal elections (including the Conservative selections) were the real elections in about half to two-thirds of the available contests :- and in media terms no one was looking while they were going on.

Congratulations to all winning candidates. Commisserations to the rest. Now the fun begins.

 

Avon and Somerset

ASHFORD, Bob. 891 Elected

SAVAGE, John. 505

Bedfordshire

HEFFERNAN, Adrian 190

MARTINS, Oliver 511 Elected

Cambridgeshire

MURPHY, Ed 265 Elected

ROGERS, Ruth 241

Cheshire

CARTER, Steve 375

STOCKTON, John 471 Elected

Cleveland

BRASH, Jonathan 157

COPPINGER, Barry 523 Elected

Cumbria

BOADEN, Mike 190

LEONARD, Patrick 225 Elected

Derbyshire

CHARLES, Alan. 695 Elected

DHINDSA, Hardyal. 365

SALT, Kathryn. 133

Devon and Cornwall

CANAVAN, Patrick 312

WILLIAMS, Nicky 591 Elected

 

Dorset

ROGERS, Rachael Elected Unopposed

Durham

Round 1 2

DIXON, Bill 330 427

HOGG, Ron 423 536 Elected

THOMPSON, Peter 311

Dyfed Powys

GWYTHER, Christine Elected Unopposed

Essex

COOK, Val Morris 449 Elected

NEWELL, Jordan 355

Gloucestershire

DHANDA, Rupi Elected Unopposed

Greater Manchester

LLOYD, Tony Elected Unopposed

Gwent

SANDISON, Hamish 494 Elected

WORRAD, Joshua 306

Hampshire

HAGGER, Alan 335

RAYMENT, Jacqui 576 Elected

Hertfordshire

BATSON, Sherma Elected Unopposed

Humberside

HUNTER, Keith. 458

PRESCOTT, John. 552 Elected

Kent

BATES, Steve 241

YEO, Harriet 711 Elected

Lancashire

Round 1 2

ATKINSON, Mark 342

GRUNSHAW, Clive 820 966 Elected

MASTER, Ibby 532 663

Leicestershire

RUSSELL, Sarah Elected unopposed

Lincolnshire

DILKS, Phil. 218 Elected

GLEESON, Paul. 97

Merseyside

Round 1. 2.

KENNEDY, Jane. 895. 974

KILFOYLE, Peter. 745. 833

WEIGHTMAN, Bill 254

Norfolk

BURKE, Stephen 232

MORPHEW, Steve 337 Elected

Northumbria

BAIRD, Vera 1,921 Elected

FOSTER, Tom 635

North Wales

HANSON, Margaret 276

MICHAEL, Tal 548 Elected

North Yorkshire

POTTER, Ruth Elected Unopposed

Northamptonshire

BARRON, Lee. 212 Elected

CASEMAN-JONES, Mike. 176

Nottinghamshire

MOHAMMED, Adam. 841

TIPPING, Paddy. 892 Elected

South Wales

CANNON, Paul 1,058

MICHAEL, Alun 1,142 Elected

South Yorkshire

Round 1. 2. 3.
BILLINGS, Alan. 461. 592.
HUGHES, Med. 382.
WALAYAT, Kash. 622. 671. 861
WRIGHT, Shaun. 972. 1,116. 1,353 Elected

Staffordshire

GARNER, Joy 402 Elected

POULTER, Michael 351

Suffolk

BASHAM, Jane Elected Unopposed

Surrey

EVANS, Robert Elected Unopposed

Sussex

DANIEL, Godfrey 679 Elected

RICHARDS, Paul 554

Thames Valley

HARVEY, Jon 590

STARKEY, Tim 614 Elected

Warwickshire

EDWARDS, Claire 102

PLASKITT, James 291 Elected

West Mercia

MURPHY, Simon Elected Unopposed

West Midlands

JONES, Bob 1,580 Elected

MOSQUITO, Yvonne. 827

West Yorkshire

BURNS-WILLIAMSON, Mark Elected Unopposed

Wiltshire

MOODY, Clare Elected Unopposed