Independent Candidates

The content of this page has been superceded by the Definitive List of Nominated Candidates and is preserved here as a record of the situation before the election period.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they would stand as Independent candidates in the Police and Crime Commissioner elections in November, and have not withdrawn (to my knowledge, which is imperfect).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

Neil Eyre

Kent

Fran Croucher, former Kent police officer cleared of inventing a tale about an assault on duty

Ken Little

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

3 Responses to Independent Candidates

  1. “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?!

    • samchapman says:

      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.

  2. Craig Thomas says:

    The Independant Candidate fo Avon and Somerset is Sue Mountstevens. Could you please update your website information. Thank you !

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