Category Archives: Perspectives

Perspectives

After the Olympics

Posted on 14/08/2012 by samchapman

After yesterday's publication of the list of candidates who had declared they had no reason to be worried about a criminal record keeping them out of the race, there have been a few more entries. The first is a surprise … Continue reading →

Posted in Perspectives | 3 Comments

Which candidates are in the clear?

Posted on 14/08/2012 by samchapman

Recent withdrawals from the PCC elections flow from an increased appreciation of the strict nature of the rules on how previous convictions, including otherwise 'spent' convictions and those incurred as a juvenile, can disqualify a person from standing. Those withdrawals … Continue reading →

Posted in Perspectives | 2 Comments

You fought the law, and you won.

Posted on 12/08/2012 by samchapman

On Thursday, TopOfTheCops revealed exclusively to the world how one of Britain's most senior judges had decided to do what Parliament had not, and ban magistrates from standing as Police and Crime Commissioners. TopOfTheCops readers in the press began to … Continue reading →

Posted in Perspectives | 7 Comments

Another candidate withdraws for no reason?

Posted on 10/08/2012 by samchapman

Alan Charles, Labour candidate in Derbyshire has withdrawn from the election this morning believing himself to be disqualified because of a conditional discharge he received when he was 14. Perhaps he should have read Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act … Continue reading →

Posted in Perspectives | Tagged | 5 Comments

A matter of Conviction

Posted on 08/08/2012 by samchapman

Today Bob Ashford has stood down as Labour PCC candidate for Avon and Somerset, having achieved some clarity on the fact that convictions dating from his youth 46 years ago will disqualify him from standing for the office. These were, … Continue reading →

Posted in Perspectives | Tagged | 15 Comments

Happy Birthday – You’re Fired!

Posted on 04/08/2012 by samchapman

Ann Barnes, described by Blair Gibbs as “Vocal critic of #PCC reform & respected chair of Kent #police authority,” has been attracting a lot of attention over the past few days. For one, Times Crime correspondent Sean O’Neill asks “Could this be a credible independent … Continue reading →

Posted in Perspectives | Tagged | 3 Comments

The SDP election

Posted on 31/07/2012 by samchapman

I think it was 1987 when I saw it – a TV news item about some General Election billboard poster ideas from the Conservatives, some of which had not seen the light of day. While a policy of unilateral nuclear … Continue reading →

Posted in Perspectives | 3 Comments

Dream Ticket?

Posted on 26/07/2012 by samchapman

OK – I may not have got the most votes in Blackpool, but it doesn’t mean I’ve lost interest in the campaign in Lancashire. So I thought you’d like to hear the news about how Ibby Master, Independent member of … Continue reading →

Posted in Labour, Perspectives | Leave a comment

Refusing to mix

Posted on 25/07/2012 by samchapman

My last post closed by referencing a suggestion that selected Labour candidates had been told to find themselves a deputy with knowledge or experience of policing. Both the suggestion and the post set off denials, so let's be clear – … Continue reading →

Posted in Perspectives | Tagged | 11 Comments

A Balanced Ticket?

Posted on 22/07/2012 by samchapman

You may remember that Bob Jones and Yvonne Mosquito, at one time rivals for the West Midlands Labour Police and Crime Commissioner election, quickly buried the hatchet on Bob's victory and became running mates. Well, this week there was the … Continue reading →

Posted in Perspectives | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments