Undermining democracy with elections

why is it that I feel that the so-called people’s police commissioner’s job for West Yorkshire and the other 41 police forces is just another political stunt to control the people?

When I first heard about this new position last year I was led to believe that it was an open event where anyone could become a police commissioner. But after investigation it does not appear that way when you look into the system adopted.

Firstly, you could only become a candidate if the chief constable and the police authority invited you and thought that you were in their eyes, acceptable. Now we find that we have the usual line-up in West Yorkshire and most probably the rest of the country for that matter, a sitting Labour councillor, a Conservative councillor, a Liberal councillor and lo and behold, to make the thing look open, an independent candidate who has not a cat in hell’s chance of getting in as he is not backed by a mainstream political party.

Indeed, added to the fact that all three councillors are on or have sat on the police authority and where one is the present chair and another is a present member, the whole affair has the air of non-involvement of the people.

Over the whole country it has been estimated that this whole process has cost us, the taxpayer, some £25m.

But for what, when it appears to have been a foregone conclusion that a standing politician would get the nod?

Year by year, it appears to me that we are getting more like Russia with the stranglehold that our three main political parties have. But will it go further down the road is the question, like Russia, where a new decree on dissent is going through their Upper House that gives it traitor status?

It certainly makes you wonder, when apparently everything these days is being fixed to a great extent beforehand so that only the chosen few in reality get the power for their political masters to use at will. I for one will not be voting for something that appears to be a forgone conclusion and for which a politician will take the job. When will true democracy return to this country is the big question?

From: TW Coxon, West Auckland Road, Darlington.

Members of Parliament’s pre-occupation with committees of enquiry and select committees and TV broadcasts seem to occupy much of their working life.

The inordinate amount of time, to my mind, wasted on their fruitless exercises could be better used to solving the problems of the British economy.

If MPs have so much time and capacity for second jobs in addition to the aforementioned preoccupation, perhaps we have too many!

I also wonder why in this time of austerity, there is a need for the appointment of police commissioners.

No doubt these people will be paid a handsome salary – otherwise John Prescott wouldn’t be in the running – and all the perks that go with high-ranking posts. Isn’t it enough to have chief constables, deputy chief constables and assistant chief constables, without a further layer on top? How on earth we ever managed law and order in this country for so many years without Commissioners is beyond my comprehension!

I note the comments of Jane Birkby and Keith Jowett (Yorkshire Post, October 23) on this subject and endorse their views. Another political system on top of political mayoral positions is not what we want. Ask the electorate what they think. I think we would be in for a shock.

We need less political interference in our lives and a reduction of bureaucracy. Instead, we seem to be adding to the burden and the cost. When will we ever come to our senses?

From: Cllr John Marshall, Cold Bath Road, Harrogate.

I sympathise with Barry Foster of Whitby (Yorkshire Post, October 25) and his comments about the forthcoming election of police and crime commissioners.

When I was first elected to North Yorkshire County Council in 1973, I served on the Police Committee which was then a standing committee of the council. In the years that followed various governments altered the composition of the Police Committee and eventually it became a police authority in its own right.

Talking to Police Committee members recently I was assured that it was working well and doing a good, constructive job.

On the basis of “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”, why has all this been abandoned and the power transferred to one person who may have little knowledge of either the police or how to deal with crime? I am not impressed.

From: AB Collier, Burlington Court, Gordon Road, Bridlington.

I REFER to the comments of your three correspondents (Yorkshire Post, October 23) regarding the forthcoming election for the police and crime commissioner.

Lack of information and identities are sadly lacking. Stand up and be counted and make yourselves visible to the electorate. At present only one candidate is readily recognisable. Windbag Lord Prescott, strutting around with his red rosette thrust forward.

This is, or should be, a non-political position. How can Lord Prescott devote the required time as a police and crime commissioner, with his attendance in the House of Lords? Answer: he can’t. I reckon the reported £75,000 salary is what he would be after.

So come on all you other candidates. Let’s hear some noise and exposure from you.

It might (I pray) prevent Prescott from being elected.

Don’t call him a football fan

From: Olwen Carter, Gildersome, Leeds.

THE individual who carried out the assault on the Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper has been apprehended, charged and sentenced. I do wish the media would stop referring to him as “a fan” (Yorkshire Post, October 29).

This is an insult to all football fans, decent loyal fans of whatever club they support. He appears to be known to the police and banned from Elland Road. My late son was a lifelong supporter of Leeds United, my two grandsons are season ticket holders and they and thousands of other law-abiding supporters are at risk of being viewed and tarred with the same brush as this irresponsible idiot.