Friday, November 16, 2012

Police Commissioner Elections by Glenis Smith


November 15th
Tonight at about 6 pm I feel guilty because I have chosen NOT to vote for a Thames Valley Police Commissioner. I had a newspaper brief in the letterbox about the Conservative candidate and see his Armed Services record and that he served on the TV Police committee prior to it’s now abolition. However, having looked up a TV website and found Independent, UKIP, and Labour candidates for this position and although 1,000 words were allowed for each candidate to “sell” themselves, I feel at a loss to choose a candidate that will work in the area’s interest. I don’t know them. Who would do the best job? Only Conservatives with their superior finances were able to send to households a “CV” and “Notice of intent” to the population. Was I lucky in Gerrards Cross receiving this? What about the rest of the Thames Valley area? Were they sent this?
I find it unacceptable that all candidates were not given an allowance to spend on reaching the whole of the Thames Valley constituency in order to get their individual cases across – or, are we all supposed to look up everything on the internet?
This is the first time I have not voted in many a long year – in fact, I have voted to elect local councillors, and MP’s since I was 21. I am now 68 years of age.
As a staunch Conservative voter, I now feel – what is the point? I am very proud to have been at the selection of our local MP, Dominic Grieve. In my view he has been a wonderful MP looking after his constituents, and take pride in the fact that he takes a leading role as Attorney General in this present coalition government – although I feel conservative values are thwarted due to this arrangement.
I feel that, on this occasion, the Conservative Party have been less than diligent in trying to get across “the message” they feel is important to impart.
If a lot of important information has been imparted by the Government that I have missed, I apologize for my ignorance.
Glenis Smith

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