May attacked over election ‘shambles’

Published on 20/11/2012 02:40

Labour called on Home Secretary Theresa May to apologise for the handling of the government’s flagship police and crime commissioner (PCC) elections south of the Border, branding them a “shambles”.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper attacked the low turnout rate for last week’s elections, claiming “85 per cent of the public decided not to vote”. She accused Mrs May of not listening to public opinion and choosing to spend £100 million on having a poll which “could have been spent on 3,000 police officers”.

Mrs May told MPs during Commons Home Office questions she would “make no apology” for introducing PCCs, “who have a democratic mandate” and are “visible, accessible and accountable”.