UK Police Commissioner Elections

[SummerRain]

So, are people here going to vote in these?

I'm tied because where I am I have a choice of candidates from the big three, and UKIP and English Democrats. So not much of a choice at all!

I only have a very basic idea of the concept of a police commissioner... but it seems to me like something we don't really need.

I have looked at some of the info online but they all seem to be saying virtually the same thing (TOUGH ON CRIME! MORE BOBBIES ON THE BEAT! LESS PAPERWORK! LOTS OF POLICE EVERYWHERE). So I'll probably just vote on the party.

But hm, I'm curious, what do you guys think? I haven't heard people talking about it much IRL :s

 

[AeryFairy]

I'm registered to vote in my old town, not my new one, so I won't be able to vote in these elections for the town I currently live in. Probably means I won't vote at all, seeing as my vote back home will have no impact on me (and also, it's a very conservative area, so my non-tory vote won't do much).

I haven't heard much about it from actual people, either - apart from one staunchly conservative guy I know who is begging everyone to vote Tory because all other candidates are "liberal leftist scum who have no place in the police force". Labour will probably win up here.

 

[Second Summer]

I haven't read up on this, mostly just heard talk about it on the radio. It doesn't seem right that they should be politicizing the police in this way. The police should be above politics.

Since I'm a bloody foreigner, not even a EU one, I won't be eligible to vote in these elections (or any others), even though they are happy to take my tax money of course.

 

[Moll Flanders]

I haven't heard much about these elections at all but they aren't relevant to my local area anyway because I live in a London borough.

 

[Blobbenstein]

I have a postal vote, but I didn't use it as I don't want to give legitimacy to the politicisation of the police force.

 

[Lord Snot]

I'm with Blobbenstein and I won't be using my vote. I don't know if it's going to have any effect though, even if they get 1% turnout won't they still elect the PCs?

 

[SummerRain]

I'm voting later. Since two of my potential parties are UKIP and English Democrats, I feel the need to keep them out.

 

[Digger]

I totally read SummerRain's post as more boobies on the beat.

On a serious note, I really need to learn more about UK politics and election procedures so I'm glad to see this thread. Indian Summer do you have dual citizenship, and if so, does that entitle you to be able to vote on both sides of the pond? Not sure how that works exactly, if someone can enlighten me.

I agree that the police should not be politicized, but I think that's probably inevitable wherever you go.

 

[Second Summer]

Indian Summer do you have dual citizenship, and if so, does that entitle you to be able to vote on both sides of the pond?

Nope, just the one citizenship. (Our daughter has dual, if not triple citizenship though, since she's born here.)

I agree that the police should not be politicized, but I think that's probably inevitable wherever you go.

We'll see how much people bother to vote for this. If it doesn't get many votes, then perhaps it will be reversed with the next Labour government.

 

[SummerRain]

I totally read SummerRain's post as more boobies on the beat.

On a serious note, I really need to learn more about UK politics and election procedures so I'm glad to see this thread. Indian Summer do you have dual citizenship, and if so, does that entitle you to be able to vote on both sides of the pond?

That probably would get votes!

I do know that having dual citizenship means you can vote in both countries, certainly in the UK and USA because I have a friend with dual UK/USA citizenship.

 

[Lord Snot]

Mr Snot is able to vote, or at least he was in this election. At our last address when I registered on the electoral I didn't put his details on the form because I assumed he couldn't vote. This time I saw that it said something about members of the former British empire being able to vote so I put his details in, including that his nationality is Indian, and a few weeks ago voting cards for both of us came through.

It seems strange that Karl, who has been living here a lot longer and is from a country much closer to the UK in terms of culture, trade etc. cannot vote, whereas Mr Snot can because his country was once 'owned' by the UK.

This is good however because India doesn't allow its passport holders dual citizenship, so if he wanted an English passport he would have to give up his Indian one and apply for a tourist visa every time he wanted to go back.