Norfolk crime commissioner quits Labour after role is axed

A police and crime commissioner (PCC) has resigned from the Labour Party in protest at the government’s decision to scrap the role across England and Wales.

In a letter to the prime minister, Norfolk’s PCC Sarah Taylor complained about a lack of consultation and said she was troubled by a “significant reduction in scrutiny and accountability that will result from this decision”.

Taylor, who became Labour’s first PCC for Norfolk last year, says in her letter: “That a party which says it wants the best for our country should be actively reducing democracy replacing elected with unelected (representatives) is staggering.”

Asked for comment, Number 10 referred the BBC to a Home Office statement.

The statement said removing PCCs would cut the cost of unnecessary bureaucracy and increase accountability.

In her letter, Taylor said: “Your government’s actions have consistently and repeatedly failed to reflect what used to be called ‘Labour values’, those that first attracted me to join the party back in 2006.

“Instead, a command and control approach, which was so vital in changing the party, is now serving as a singular and destructive force.”

There are 37 elected commissioners under the existing PCC system, introduced 12 years ago to improve police accountability.

Appointing a chief constable and producing a policing plan are among their main responsibilities.

Announcing the decision earlier, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood called the system a “failed experiment” and said fewer than 20% of voters could name their local PCC.

The Home Office said scrapping the role would allow for an extra £20m of investment in frontline policing every year – enough to fund 320 constables.

Because Norfolk is about to have a directly-elected mayor who will also oversee Suffolk, both Taylor and her Suffolk counterpart, Tim Passmore, had already been warned their powers were going to be transferred.

Taylor was elected in May last year with 35% of the vote, with a turnout of 21%.