Battle lines drawn at PCC hustings

Candidates standing in the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections this November went head to head during a hustings organised by the Sussex Students for Sensible Drugs Policy society.

Conservative candidate Katy Bourne and Labour candidate Godfrey Daniel drew battle lines over police cuts.

The event on Wednesday saw three of the five official candidates for the Sussex PCC position speaking about the key policies they would hope to enact if elected Police Crime Commissioner for Sussex.

The official candidates in attendance included Conservative candidate Katy Bourne, Independent candidate Ian Chisnall and Labour candidate Godfrey Daniel.

The candidates then answered questions which ranged from police corruption to the prospect of PCC impartiality with the involvement of party backing.

When asked by an audience member about their budget plans, candidates Katy Bourne for the Conservative Party and Labour candidate Godfrey Daniel revealed sharp contrasts in their plans and ideology.

Conservative candidate Katy Bourne asserted that her budget plan fell in line with her personal business experience.

She told audience members she would “go further than current budget cuts.”

She argued that whilst she hoped to “drive down costs by sharing services” she would ensure no police jobs were lost.

Labour candidate Godfrey Daniel argued that the “savage cuts Katy is proposing will not enable police to stay on the street”.

The Labour candidate concluded “if you want coppers on the streets, you must be willing to pay for them”.

Candidates seemed to concur in their responses to several questions on drugs policy.

Independent candidate Ian Chisnall argued that whilst evidence may exist that alcohol and tobacco have a more dangerous affect on society and human beings than some drugs, “Sussex Police have to base their action on law, not recent scientific evidence”.

Ian Chisnall outlined that the PCC must still adhere to legislation until it is altered.

Candidates Godfrey Daniel and Katy Bourne agreed, and asserted that a decriminalisation process would pose a much greater risk.

Cat Gough