Labour and UKIP name PCC candidates

Labour have opted to back former Sheffield Council deputy leader Dr Alan Billings in the October 30 by-election, while UKIP have gone for Sheffield councillor and ex-police inspector Jack Clarkson.

Dr Billings was until recently a board member of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, which oversees the work of the criminal justice system for the under 18s.

He is also a former member of the England Committee of the Big Lottery Fund and Director of the Centre for Ethics and Religion at Lancaster University.

In the 1980s Dr Billings was deputy leader of Sheffield City Council and a councillor for Walkley Ward.

He has been backed by former Home Secretary, David Blunkett and Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South West.

Dr Billings said: “My first priority will be to keep the police focussed on doing everything to ensure that all instances of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham are fully investigated with perpetrators brought to justice, officials held to account and victims fully supported.  

“There must be no complacency but also no witch-hunting.     

“At the same time we must start to rebuild trust between the police and the community.”

Cllr Clarkson was picked following a vote by UKIP’s National Executive Council this week and said he was very honoured to get the nod.

“Due to a long line of horrendous leadership failures, South Yorkshire Police is currently a totally demoralised organisation, dealing with a long list of criticisms that has torn its' reputation to shreds,” he said.

“However, the resignation of Shaun Wright, over his failure to protect the children of Rotherham, has now given the South Yorkshire people the opportunity to seize the initiative and put in place a team that will provide strong leadership and a new, common sense approach to policing in the region.

“It is my commitment to the people of South Yorkshire that I will give them back a police force they can trust, a force that has a more visible presence, with more boots on the ground and more community policing that will safeguard our communities.

“Only UKIP can guarantee that political correctness will not get in the way of investigating crimes and only UKIP can promise one law for all.”