Police tsar poll ‘tilted towards the main parties’

Retired Humberside Police Chief Supt Paul Davison claimed the elections were biased in favour of candidates from the main political parties, and warned that a low turnout could see the posts going to the highest-spending campaigners.

His comments challenge the views of new Justice Secretary Chris Grayling, who championed the democratic nature of the elections in an interview with the Yorkshire Post last month.

Mr Davison, 59, who will take on Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and UKIP candidates when he bids to become the first Humberside Police commissioner, said: “Compared to the (spending ability of) independents it’s morally wrong. They are from political parties who have got money to spend, so it’s actually a bit disingenuous (to call it democracy).

“The real story is a biased lean towards political parties. It’s like playing football against Barcelona with no goalkeeper. They are treating it like a normal election and it’s not. The independent candidates have not got a political agent.

“If we get a massively low turnout, are we going to get the right person for the job or the one that’s going to spend the most money? How can it be democracy when it’s an uneven playing field?”

Ahead of announcing a series of public meetings this week when his campaign will begin in earnest, the former area commander for the East Riding added: “I’m not hiding behind mailshots, I’m going out into high crime areas and standing up in front of people and talking about policing with a passion – that’s a campaign with integrity.”

Mr Davison also revealed some of the oddities of the regulations governing the elections.

He is entitled to host meetings in rooms hired by local authorities but must pay for their heating and lighting himself. “It’s a fantastic insight into politics I’m getting,” he said.

Speaking on a visit to Beverley to support the campaign of Conservative East Riding councillor Matthew Grove, Mr Grayling defended the estimated £75m cost of the elections by saying: “Democracy always costs money because you have to fund elections. If we are going to give people a proper voice I think it’s worth spending that money, but I don’t think it’s a question of cost because it’s about trying to do a better job and policing in different ways.”

He added: “The day we can’t afford the price of democracy is a troubling day for our country.”

Labour candidate Lord Prescott has previously branded a decision not to grant candidates a free mailshot to voters as “scandalous”, and critics say the polls will be unfairly weighted in favour of those backed by political parties because information will not be going to every voter.

The Home Office insists, however, that information about every candidate will be published online and, for everyone who wants it, delivered in written form.

Mr Davison has pledged to overhaul crime-fighting in the region by investigating every single crime, claiming that about 40 per cent of crimes are not investigated because they are “screened out”.

One of the first tasks facing the new Humberside commissioner will be the appointment of a new chief constable, after Humberside chief Tim Hollis revealed he would be standing down by March next year.

Mr Hollis said his decision was not linked to the advent of commissioners, but did voice concerns that the role risked bringing politics to the heart of policing.