Re~Stirred Forum

Matt appears to have corroborated half of your story on twitter , but I'll wait for something official.

Tp pick the Conservative candidate Open Primary hustings are being held in four locations across the West Midlands area

Wednesday 4th July - Erdington

Erdington Conservative Club, 93 Orphanage Road, Erdington, Birmingham B24 9HU

Thursday 5th July - Walsall

St Matthews Centre, St Matthews Close, Walsall WS1 3DG

Tuesday 10th July - Halesowen

Zion Christian Centre, Little Cornbow, Halesowen B63 3AJ

Wednesday 11th July - Solihull

The Silhillians Club, Warwick Road, Knowle, Solihull B93 9LW

All meetings will commence at 7 pm promptly.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A MEMBER OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY TO ATTEND AND VOTE AT THESE HUSTINGS.

If you are on the Electoral Roll in the West Midlands Police area, you are entitled to attend any one of these four meetings – you don’t have to go to the one nearest to you if that date is inconvenient. You will have the opportunity to hear the candidates speak and answer questions, and then vote.

The choice is between Matt Bennett and Joe Tildesley. Both of whom have a 'home venue'.

There is nothing to stop a non-Conservative, even a member of another party, participating and tactically voting for the poorer candidate, to improve their own party's chances. Unlikely I know, but possible if open primaries become the norm.

There is nothing to stop that. I have heard about open primaries where people have speculated that people have turned up to vote for the weakest/most beatable candidate (or against the best candidate). In this case, I don't see a weak candidate and besides the idea of turning up to increase the chances of a poor candidate being in charge of your local police would be like cutting your nose off to spite your face. I suppose there could be some weirdos who might turn up to the Tory selections with the objective of getting Bob Jones elected, but when I write it down it sounds ridiculous.

One way to counteract such tactics (if Open Primaries become popular) would be for the main parties to agree to hold their primaries simultaneously so that an individual could only vote in one.

I can sort of understand tactical voting if it related to your local MP (i.e. take a risk for the greater good of helping to get your party in nationally), but I just don't see the point at the level of PCC. Your idea of combining events is nice in theory.

Matt Bennett, a good sort but no experience of policing and policing management, the voters of Stockland Green must have detected something that they were not happy about to have removed him from his seat.

Holl-Allen, experience but unelectable in the Pan Midlands authority area so a good decision not have her.

Tildsley as straight as they come, good sort, too associated with the Police.

Still got to be Bob Jones by a mile, no messing will do what it says on the can.

In 2007, when the Conservatives had a 13% point lead over Labour, we lost Stockland Green by the same amount as Matt Bennett lost Stockland Green in 2012 when Labour had a 7% lead. Holding steady against a national swing of 10% is an achievement not a negative. Given what you have said on other threads, I am surprised you're supporting someone who appears to be opposed to what you would like to see the police achieve.

I am have my views and I have my opinion and position on many things in Life.

If I have a growth that needs operating on, it matters not to me the politics of the surgeon or who he votes for, what is of import to me is that he (or for the Ladies amongst you, She) is the best at the job.

Bob Jones is in my opinion, from the known candidates, by far the best person to head up the authority or fangled Police and Crime Commissioner Post.

He will not and cannot turn the police in a political organisation. Show me some candidates with metal, passion and ability and the personality to command respect from senior police officers and I might review my position. Young man.

Apparently the thing they were not happy about was the fact that he was a Tory?

Ruddy good sorts the Conservatives, always put service of the community and service for the community as stalwarts in their councillors.

Sometimes I cannot understand the irrational behaviour of the voter, I feel that we should introduce a test to make sure that voters have a minimum understanding of politics and the good work the Conservatives do in this country, before giving them the vote.

How they could have decided to oust Les Lawrence baffles me and Johnie Alden was cruelly dealt a dirty hand in his ousting.

Now if Johnie Alden put his, rather stylish hat in the ring for Police and Crime Commissioner that would be something to savour over a cool G and T down the club.

I've concluded that you, Gerry, have rejoined the forum?

A shrewd comment, Gary, but gerry being a gent, never used sarcasm.

I see the tories have picked well strange venues ...

why hold them in a candidate's own area, the Brum one should be in the City Centre.

where is the one for the city of Wolverhampton ?

So to be clear if you are a Tory member you can only vote at one of these meetings ? Wonder how many can be arsed to turn up ?

We made it easy and the turnout was what ? 10 maybe 15% of WM labour members

Not unexpectedly Ray Egan, who prefers to appear as 'John Bull', is standing as an Independent:http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2012/06/28/john-bull-wants-to-run-west-midlands-police-97319-31276911/

Well I hope he has 5k for the deposit!

Worrying trend developing from Comrade Jones' campaign. Wants to create a deputy position because he can't do the job all on his own and his latest facebook update is moaning that every candidate can't get the government to cut down a rainforest to get their message to 2 million voters. If he doesn't like the rules of the contest, he knows what he can do... I wonder whether he has such a cavalier approach to his own money.

There isno creation of a deputy position, this is in the legislation and guidance, which no doubt one of the contributing experts will clarify.

The Deputy PCC can be anyone, not just a councillor or ex Police Authority member.

I am sure my Conservative Colleagues will decide, once they become aware of the Deputy role, who to have as Deputy, the team of Matt Bennett and Jo Tildsley or vice versa would no doubt be the Conservative choice for PCC and Deputy.

One of yours I'm afraid, Gary. If you believe a word he says.

No Tory will be backing Bob Jones. Anyways, an article I wrote last night about our primaries has just gone up on Conservative Home and has just been tweeted by Dan Hannan.

Anyone going to the first round at Erdington Conservative Club tonight? Would be interested in any eye-witness accounts...

I went last night. Standing room only. I thought that both candidates gave a strong performance but Matt Bennett was most definitely my preferred choice.

Another ex-police officer declares his intention to stand:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-18718971

I agree with what that bloke Rumble says re PCSO arrest, but would that be in his power?

No, that would require a change in the law. They do have very limited powers, just like everyone else, the so called 'Citizens Power of Arrest':

From:

There is concern over the existing 'power to detain' and ample references to any coercive action taken requires a police officer to attend.

It is often overlooked the role of a PCSO was to act as "eyes & ears" and to provide general protective security in central London, around Westminster-Whitehall, but like so much in the policing sphere spread across England & Wales rapidly.

Those PCSOs I have spoken to over the years do not want to have coercive powers, let alone the power to arrest.

Could not make the meeting myself, due to late duty but will endeavour to make the Halesowen one at Little Cornbow on 10 July.

PeteS, probably might want to support a Birmingham Lad, with very little experience of running an organisation the size of the West Mids Police,but I would urge Conservative Primary voters to put your x against our old friend Joe Tildesley.

With 30 years of policing experience, I would say that he will support our police officers and should understand the pressure they are put under with form filling and the cheek that criminals, that deserve life imprisonment or the death penalty give them.

His work to get protective vests for officers is to be applauded. Though I feel arming our officers with proper guns instead of taser buzzing machines would deter criminals from carrying weapons.

We need to put the needs of Police officers first not those that, know their rights but not their responsibilities. Give officers the power to administer a short, sharp, shock to those young, cheeky thugs walking our streets.

Joe knows the Chief and can have an informal chat with him to sort things out as needed and give the Chief a free hand in operational matters.

I am sure we would not have any problems with getting cameras installed throughout the area to monitor, wrongdoers and as a deterrent if we have a like minded person, thinking as I do, in the key man's job.

Joe is a well known local candidate, with a strong dynamic personality, who relishes a tough battle.

He can handle those media types in his stride. He is the person to build good relationships with the Crown Prosecution Service, they are the bods that make decisions to prosecute the bad guys.

He can win this one having got into Solihull council and running his daughter's campaign to trounce one of those, sandal wearing Lib Dems.

He has many years on the young blood Matt Bennett, but even for an oldie he still has energy.

Is he a good sort, well I can tell you with his over twenty years Massonic membership and his belonging to several lodges and Chapters, that is enough evidence that he is the right sort for me.

So it's a choice between someone who would speak to the public on behalf of the police, or someone who would speak to the police on behalf of the public. I know where my vote's going.

"I'm a troll, fol de rol...".

But which one? It's a nice line of irony. Only when you get to the Masonic at the end are you sure, and burst out laughing. Who among our resident humourists is back?

So, we have Prescott and Mates as candidates.

And ex-police and members of the police authority can stand.

This fast looks to be a decent idea going pear-shaped.

DOG look at this piece

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 20797.html

Those of us against this barmpot idea including most LD members warned of this nonsense. Look at the quality here in the WM and whilst Bob is decent the tory side is a shambles with a loser and a non entity.

In other areas you could say the same about our candidates.

How on earth we have let this go on and possible turnout I think of 10% or less I do not know. At least when it happens the Tories can not longer moan about union turnout.