Blatant trickery on PCC ballot paper

As I have registered for a postal vote, I recently received a ballot paper for the next Police Commissioner election on 19th August.

It is being re-run at enormous expense because the Conservative candidate in May was ineligible. We are to fund about £1.5 million for this re-election when the Conservative party were aware the candidate should not have stood.

Surely they should therefore foot the bill? I was horrified to see that one of the mainstream parties has adapted its name to include an electioneering slogan on the ballot paper!

Exactly as your article (August 5) described and which your correspondent rightly said was out-of-order.Your article says it is “within the rules”. That’s as maybe, but is not right. It is nothing less than an attempt to compromise the impartiality of the electoral process itself.

The politicians said much the same when they were caught out making inflated and suspect claims for their expenses. That they were “within the rules” Well, the rules were not strong enough and public anger made them think again.

I hope that anyone reading this and seeing the ballot paper for themselves will vote against the perpetrators the Conservatives - of such blatant trickery.

How can this behaviour be acceptable from a potential Police Crime Commissioner?

Jane Baldwin

Crane Furlong

Highworth Swindon

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Role should not be a political appointment

On 19 August, here in Wiltshire, we have another Police and Crime Commissioner election.

The last one, back in May, was declared void because the winner, Jonathan Seed, has a previous police conviction on file.

Apparently, the cost of the re-run is £1.5m. What a complete and utter waste of tax payers money.

In my opinion, the Conservative Party or even better, Jonathan Seed himself, should pay for it. It should come from either of them and NOT the public purse.

Both knew the PCC application rules and about his previous conviction. Yet, his application was still put forward. What a joke!

Finally, in my opinion, the PCC role should not be a political appointment at all. Every candidate should be independent.

That's why Mike Rees will be getting my vote.

Alan Wilson

Address supplied

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