Tag: Police and Crime Commissioners
Improvements in turnout and more partisan voting: The consequences of embedding PCC elections in the electoral cycle
The first Police and Crime Commissioner elections in 2012 are infamous for their abysmally low turnout and the second batch last week thankfully saw some improvement. In this post, Andrew Defty looks at the variation in turnout across the 40 PCC elections to consider the impact of embedding the elections in the electoral cycle, and […]
Electing the London Mayor and Police Commissioners in England and Wales: How to use your two votes well
British voters are used to having just one vote. But on 5 May this year a record number of voters in England and Wales will be using a two–vote electoral system to choose the London Mayor and Police Commissioners across the country, many for the first time. Wherever you stand politically, Professor Patrick Dunleavy explains […]
Police and Crime Commissioners: The forgotten elections
On May 5, England and Wales will elect police and crime commissioners (PCCs) for the second time, though you may not know about them. What are these elections about, who is in the race, and who will win are all important questions that surround a largely unheard election. In this article, Dr Kenneth Bunker covers […]
Back to the future by way of an Independent (Police) Commission: The Stevens Report in effect only pursues an established police agenda
Lord Stevens’ review of policing included a call for the abolition of the elected Police and Crime Commissioners. Barry Loveday thinks it unsurprising this proposal has emanated from a number of current and former chief constables. In this post he questions the potential bias in the views collected by the Stevens commission. Similar PostsDespite the manner of their election, […]
Democracy experts are divided on Lord Stevens’ proposals to reform police accountability
Last week the report of the Independent Police Commission, led by the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner John Stevens and commissioned by the Labour Party, was published. Its recommendations included the abolition of the post of Police and Crime Commissioner – introduced in 2012 to establish a new form of democratic oversight of the police – […]
Should Police and Crime Commissioners be abolished? The Commissioners respond
This week the report of the Independent Police Commission, led by the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner John Stevens and commissioned by the Labour Party, was published. One of its key proposals was for the abolition of the post of Police and Crime Commissioner, introduced in 2012 to establish a new form of democratic oversight of […]
Can you buy a Police Commissioner? Spending at the 2012 Police and Crime Commissioner elections suggests it depends on the party
The Police and Crime Commissioner elections were widely considered to be disastrous, with exceptionally low voter turnout and a lack of public interest in, or understanding of, their roles. Chris Prosser of St Catherine’s College, Oxford, looks at the newly released Electoral Commission figures for spending in the election, and lifts the lid on what […]
Despite the manner of their election, Police and Crime Commissioners are bringing about a significant change in the governance of the police
The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections in November 2012 marked a historic change in the democratic accountability of police services in England and Wales. Barry Loveday considers why public enthusiasm for the elections was so low, and goes on to assess the early performance of PCCs in office. Despite their limited electoral mandates, he finds, […]
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