The content of this page has been superceded by the Definitive List of Nominated Candidates and is preserved here as a record of the situation before the election period.
The following have all declared an intention or at least raised the possibility that they would stand as Independent candidates in the Police and Crime Commissioner elections in November, and have not withdrawn (to my knowledge, which is imperfect). Inclusion on this list is no guarantee that they will stand, will qualify to stand (a few particular ‘candidates’ may never make it to the ballot paper due to previous criminal convictions), or will have the required amount of signatures (100) or cash (£5,000) to get on the ballot paper. All these things in theory are the same for political parties, but in practice they will pick new candidates where convictions become a problem, are established fundraisers and have the signatures lined up in their membership lists. But till October, this is the best we’ve got. Within each force area the order reflects the order in which they have come to my attention, which is a proxy for how long they have been in the race.
Avon and Somerset – No declared Independents
Bedfordshire – No declared Independents
Cambridgeshire
Paul Dakers – Former Conservative Councillor
Ansar Ali, former local government manager and current Independent member of the Police Authority
Cheshire – No declared Independents
Cleveland
Sultan Alam – former police officer awarded compensation following imprisonment in a miscarriage of justice. ‘Considering’ run.
Cumbria
Mary Robinson – Independent Councillor/Deputy Leader of Eden Council
Gordon Sandilands – withdrew due to conflict between job and campaign, but will allegedly have finished working his notice by September, 2 months before the election. Only candidate still possibly standing who could realistically be called “Commissioner Gordon”.
Derbyshire – No declared Independents, but Derbyshire Police Authority Chairman Councillor Philip Hickson did say he was considering running, but only if it was a “non-party Political role” – this was before his party chose a candidate.
Devon and Cornwall
Brian Greenslade, Liberal Democrat County Councillor and Police Authority Member who said he wants to see if he can get elected without party political backing, even though this may pitch him against an official LibDem candidate.
Dorset
Martyn Underhill – Retired Detective Chief Inspector
Durham – No declared Independents
Dyfed-Powys
John Davies, Independent Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council
Rod Richards – Former Conservative minister
Essex
Mick Thwaites, former Chief Superintendent
Linda Belgrove, Independent Member of the Police Authority
Gloucestershire
Tim Brain, former Chief Constable is ‘reported to be interested’
Martin Surl – former Superintendent
Greater Manchester
Ben Brierley contacted the Police Foundation to say he plans to run as an Independent
Gwent
Chris Wright – Retired Patrol Sergeant
Ian Johnston – Retired Chief Superintendent and former President of Superintendents’ Association. Candidate Statement.
Hampshire – Simon Hayes, former Conservative councillor and Chairman of Hampshire Crimestoppers, according to the Daily Echo
Hertfordshire – No declared Independents
Humberside
Walter Sweeney, former Conservative MP
Kent
Fran Croucher, former Kent police officer cleared of inventing a tale about an assault on duty
Fergus Wilson, buy-to-let millionaire
Dai Liyanage, Police Authority member
Ian Driver, Thanet Councillor
Ann Barnes, Chair of Kent Police Authority
Lancashire – no declared Independents, but several anonymous people have expressed an intent to stand to the Police Authority
Leicestershire
David Bowley, lives in Leicester
Suleman Nagdi, former Magistrate
Lincolnshire
Mervyn Barrett, formerly of NACRO, Candidate Statement
David Bowles, former Chief Executive of Lincolnshire County Council, Candidate Statement
Merseyside – No declared Independents
Norfolk
Mervyn Lambert, businessman
Northamptonshire
John Norrie, Candidate Statement
Matt Stockdale, former Special Constable withdrawn due to ‘space weather‘
Northumbria – No declared Independents
North Wales
Richard Hibbs, provided this article for TopOfTheCops
North Yorkshire – No declared Independents, but ex-cops and authors G P Taylor and Mike Pannett are each still officially undecided
Nottinghamshire – No declared Independents
South Wales
Michael Baker, retired police officer, qualified barrister, and practicing solicitor.
Antonio Verderame, retired Cardiff businessman
South Yorkshire
Gillian Radcliffe, has now withdrawn, citing an appreciation of just how much a worthwhile bid would cost. She says she has been urged to stand as a paper candidate anyway.- This was her Candidate Statement
Staffordshire – No declared Independents
Suffolk – No declared Independents
Surrey
Paul Clarke, former soldier
Peter Williams, Chair of the Police Authority
Sussex
Ian Chisnall, voluntary sector worker, Candidate Statement
Philip Jones, reported as running by Michael Crick, but scarlet-pimpernell-like otherwise
Matt Taylor, SOS party, Candidate Statement, may be ruled out by a past military conviction
Nigel Goodyear, former police officer
David Joe Neilson, self-proclaimed “Amazon explorer and Britain’s top whistleblower”
Thames Valley
Martin Young, frustrated gun collector
Gurcham Singh – listed by the Police Foundation as being of the “Police and Crime Commissioner’s Authority Board”
Warwickshire
Andrew Moss, has now withdrawn in favour of fellow Independent Ron Ball.
West Mercia
Former Police Officer William Longmore.
West Midlands
Ray Egan, retired Police Constable
Mike Rumble, former detective
Cath Hannon – retired Detective Superintendent
West Yorkshire
Cedric Christie – Candidate Statement
Wiltshire – No declared Independents
“some may have problems in particular around criminal convictions” – British sense of fair play and all that Sam. Shouldn’t you append this comment to the list of Labour candidates as well?!
Thanks Richard,
I’ve thought about it, but no. Here’s why…
The full quote was “Inclusion on this list is no guarantee that they will stand, will qualify to stand (some may have problems in particular around criminal convictions), or will have the required amount of signatures (100) or cash (£5,000) to get on the ballot paper.”
This reflects the fact that Independent candidates are different from each other in this respect in a way that is less often true with parties. Some Independent candidates have questions hanging over them, but because they are not selected by other people there is no-one to whom they are accountable at this stage in the process.
Where the parties have chosen candidates they will likely field someone, probably the person they first chose. They will be able to cover the deposit and get the signatures and, somewhat belatedly, are checking as far as they can on onvictions. Labour have had a few problems, and these will be mentioned on the pages that deal with them. The failure of both Labour and Conservative selection processes properly to vet candidates On the subject of criminal records and reflects poorly on their brands. For the avoidance of doubt, because they are Independent of each other, a problem with one Independent should not refect badly on other Independents in the same way.
The Independant Candidate fo Avon and Somerset is Sue Mountstevens. Could you please update your website information. Thank you !