Re~Stirred Forum

Andy Foster, sir,

I attend and have attended police authority meetings for a considerable time now and my view and perception of Councillor Jones is only predicated on how he performs in the public part of these meetings and how I as an individual interpret how he comes across.

You will have a more eclectic and more politically orientated view of him as having worked within Midlands politics, both belonging to the same party.

The electorate, if Councillor Jones is selected as Labour Candidate, and the opinions I am being given is that he will not, will base their opinion of him on his political activity in Wolverhampton and not on his performance on the authority, unless they have attended and seen his performance.

Your observation on crime falling, could I ask, given that we have one of the most expensive police forces in the world and one of the most inefficient police forces, that crime reduction is significantly related to technology and it's use, cameras every where, DNA databases, ANPR systems and in poor areas where people can no longer afford house insurance, they no longer report crimes when their houses are broken into and many do not report crime as they feel the police will do nothing about it. Yes British Crime Survey reports a 4% increase in crime, while the home office states it is down by 4%.

I do not know as yet the Conservative front runners for PCC, so not knowing them means I have no opinion of their ability to do the job. I understand that Councillor Ayoub Khan is seeking the Liberal Democrat nomination and my view is that he has the intellectual ability and experience as Cabinet Member of Local Services and Community Safety, at Birmingham City Council to do the job.

I much respect your view and opinion but mine is obviously based on what I know, which makes it right for me.

Measuring crime is obviously difficult since not all crime is reported either to the police or to crime surveys. For example, do sex slaves dutifully complete questionnaires to report abduction, enslavement, rape, extortion? It seems unlikely - and yet the experiences of that person should bear far more weight than those of a hundred people defrauded of a few pounds over the internet.

We all know the truth - that over the past 20 years the police have made little progress in eliminating gangs or organised crime. Should this not have been the absolute priority?

We cannot make a direct link between the fall in police numbers and crime increase, but my Concern is that violent crime has increased, according to home office statistics. But I guess that having police numbers at their lowest for ten years and 6000 officers having gone in the last 12 months it cannot be good for reducing crime.

But getting back to the thread it is emerging as an unconfirmed, but a distinct possibility that Councillor Yvonne Mosquito might seek the Labour nomination for PCC post, this would give a broad selection of candidates for Labour, ie Olley, Jones, Mosquito.

Again I mention who will be the Deputy PCC an unelected post, selected by the PCC, will the candidtates let us know before the election in November who will be their Deputy.

I am available for the position and would be happy to be Deputy PCC for any elected PCC from any party to independent.

Earlier this week Michael Crick on C4 News reported on the likely candidates:http://www.channel4.com/news/catch-up/display/playlistref/230112/clipid/230112_4ON_crick_23

Curiously Mike Olley did not feature, but Cllr Bob Jones did, although he did not exactly clearly say I will stand.

Cllr Ayoub Khan (Lib-Dem) and Joe Tildesley (Conservative) did.

In North Yorkshire a retired Deputy Chief Constable, who retired eight years ago, has announced he is willing to stand as a Conservative candidate.

Link:http://conservativehome.blogs.com/localgovernment/2012/02/why-im-standing-as-police-and-crime-commissioner-for-north-yorkshire.html

Candidate's own website:http://peter-walker.org/protecting-operational-independence-chief-constables/

The BBC's regional politics show tried to cover the issues on Sunday:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-17284990

The programme cited Lord Geoffrey Dear, who headed WMP between 1985-90, referring to ex-police standing:

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-17332304

The problem is that we are going to have a PCC, so the caution made is a bit too late. In America they may be able to get away with a degree of maladministration in relation to policing but could they get away with it here without anyone noticing it?

I doubt very much if the PCC could pull one over on Bunnyson, who would report any wrongdoing on this site immediately.

I feel within a short time of appointment any PCC will become a personal friend of the Chief Constable and a close working relationship formed?

Without any manifesto being produced so far by any of the mentioned candidates how can we judge what if anything they will be doing that is politically inspired. I feel the political party candidates waiting to be selected by their party should have some kind of manifesto to help their colleagues come to some informed decisions as the eventual PCC will come from one of the main political parties.

On the Politics Show on Sunday they showed three pictures of West Midlands candidates, Cllr. Bob Jones, Mike Olley and Cllr. Yvonne Mosquito.


I have seen no wording issued from Cllr. Mosquitto indicating that she is a potential candidate for her party's nomination.

I am not sure who I would support from the proposed candidates as they have not said much so far, I can only say, based on watching his performance at Authority meetings, we should not elect Cllr. Bob Jones, a bit too left wing socialist and often it appears that the other members of the authority do not support what he says, which often does not help what is being discussed at meetings.

Having said that I would need to hear a lot more from the other candiadtes, Cllr. Mosquitto rarely speaks at Authority meetings and when she does it is usually a repeat of what another member has already said.

Gerry thanks for confirming

I noted none of the other known declared candidates were shown, Cllr Ayoub Khan (Lib-Dem) and Cllr Joe Tildesley (Conservative). Unusual for the BBC's impartiality to slip.

depends, labour have a real nomination battle, do the other parties ?

IanRobo,

It just struck me as odd, when there are at least two other declared candidates the BBC showed only three Labour candidates. Whether there is a nomination and selection process is in my view irrelevant. The BBC should not show what appears to be partiality.

not having seen the piece was it on about on the general debate or the labour debate, have the other two you mentioned declared formally their intention to stand ?

added to this we have not yet got a candidate, so any debate would be three labour people (of which none have been selected) against one from either party, is that fair ?

I understand that Cllr. Bob Jones has declared his intention to seek the Labour nomination as has Mr. Olley, Cllr. Yvonne Mosquito has not indicated to the Labour membership that she will be seeking nomination.

Unless someone comes forward with greater member and councillor support within the Labour Party, it looks almost certain that Mr. Olley will be selected as the Labour candidate. As a non scientific opinion poll, I have spoken to 6 Birmingham Labour councillors and they are 100% behind Mr. Olley's candidature and have said that they feel he is by far the best candidate ( they might have just been trying to fool me). Does anyone know when the election for labour candidate will take place?

Although the PCC is a West Midlands position, it will be the Birmingham campaign and electorate that will determine the winner.

Disgusting decision that Mike Olley has been left off the shortlist for Labour for the PCC

IanRobo,

Who is on the short list then? Some "big hitters" as many have suspected would appear. Or more cynically the person who loses the nomination for B'ham mayor, if it is agreed by the voters next month.

That would be interesting situation in November, a contest in B'ham for the post of Mayor and a county-wide vote on the PCC. If both candidates were from B'ham Labour that might upset the calculations somewhat.

Mike Olley is appealing against the decision.

"The party’s regional board conducted interviews over the weekend and decided instead to shortlist local councillors Bob Jones, from Wolverhampton, and Yvonne Mosquito, from Birmingham"

Read More http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top- ... z1s8IwK2xI

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top- ... -30764839/

three declared

Bob Jones - Yvonne Mosquito and Mike Olley

two brummies and one black country so it is difficult to say why we have made that decision. Added to this I have had two contacts from Mike and none from the other two so at this time I will not be voting for our nomination.

I saw Yvonne Mosquito speak once. She treated the audience like a reception class group; very patronising. I don't imagine that style would go down very well with police officers.

It does seem a bizarre decision. A shortlist of three or more would engender more interest. Anyone would think Labour don't really want to win (?)

What a choice:

That may open up the PCC election in November, especially if Ms Mosquito is chosen.

I am not an elections expert, but my recollection is that electors outside B'ham can react badly to a choice made by B'ham.

From observing a handful of WM Police Authority meetings neither are impressive, in fact Ms Mosquito says little and Bob Jones has simply been there too long.

I am a supporter of Mike's and he was a different choice and obviously worked with the police closely as part of his Broad street remit.

the problem is that Brum does dominate and why I dislike the whole concept, different areas really need different policies, solihull is different from say Dudley

I imagine that the Labour selection is being set up so that Labour get a non-white candidate. I must see whether Aaron Powell has kept any of Yvonne's literature from when she last run from council. I think her views make interesting reading.

On the Conservative side, I believe that they are interviewing to get the shortlist down to 6.

Mike Ollie not short-listed.

I imagine that the Labour selection is being set up so that Labour get a non-white candidate. I must see whether Aaron Powell has kept any of Yvonne's literature from when she last run from council. I think her views make interesting reading.

On the Conservative side, I believe that they are interviewing to get the shortlist down to 6.

Will this mean that the Labour 'Party' will have a short list of only two for the elected mayor, if there is a yes vote?

The two short listed Labour candidates for PCC are presumably, as they are Police Authority members, part of the 'problem' that PCCs are supposed to correct?

Slogan idea -'Taking anonymity to a higher level'?

Councillor Yvonne Mosquito, would be the best choice in my opinion as if she became PCC, her condescending, arrogant and superior attitude, would aggravate every officer at senior level she came into contact with and energise the people of the West Midlands to bring back Police Authorities.

I have observed her at numerous police authority meetings and on the very rare occasions she has contributed, it has been patently obvious that it wasn't worth it to occupy ones hearing or brain capacity in processing what she says.

It could, in my view be very stormy times ahead for policing with her at the tiller.

If Yvonne Mosquitto is selected as Labour Candidate, I will be casting my vote for the Conservative candidate.

Policing in the West Midlands is too important to us all to risk it with her as its head.

Something else we agree on Gerry!