Plaid win 2/4 out of PPC elections , Great, now lets abolish them.

Although I am opposed to police and crime commissioner and last time spoiled by 

ballot paper i voted on the ballot this time for political reasons

I did so in full knowledge that I was actually collaborating in a process that to some degree further politicises Policing.

The reason I did was I admit political, but i did so in that I did for the reason  not want a Conservative to have a mandate to carry out their agenda in Wales.

But also to boost Plaid's call for these posts to be abolished and these powers to be devolved


So I voted Plaid and it seems a fair number did in Wales

Indeed Plaid pulled of a bit of a  shock winning 2/4 if the PCC positions 

In North Wales Arfon Jones  won 

North Wales

(First Count)

Arfon Jones (PC) 67,179 (31.46%)

David Taylor (Lab) 54,892 (25.71%, -3.96%)

Matt Wright (C) 42,005 (19.67%, +4.90%)

Simon Wall (UKIP) 25,943 (12.15%, +4.39%)

Julian Sandham (Ind) 23,487 (11.00%)

Eliminated: Julian Sandham, Simon Wall, Matt Wright

(Second Count)

Distribution of Sandham's, Wall's and Wright's votes

Arfon Jones (PC) 90,228

David Taylor (Lab) 64,864

Elected: Arfon Jones

Eliminated: David Taylor

Electorate 513,796; Turnout 213,506 (41.55%, +26.72%)

I hope there Arfon received a Telephone call from Dafydd Elis Thomas who has seemingly backed Labour's north Wales police and crime commissioner candidate.

He said Plaid, Tory and Lib Dem supporters should "stop UKIP" by giving one of their two votes to Labour.

Well he was wrong about the Ukip  Vote. AND {LAOD'S CHANCES

Plaid also won

Dyfed Powys

(First count)

Dafydd Llywelyn (PC) 52,469 (27.98%)

Christopher Salmon (C) 47,093 (25.11%, -25.75%)

Kevin Madge (Lab) 34,799 (18.56%, -30.58%)

Des Parkinson (UKIP) 20,870 (11.13%, +11.13%)

Richard Church (LD) 20,725 (11.05%, +11.05%)

William Davies (Ind) 11,561 (6.17%)

Eliminated: Richard Church, William Davies, Kevin Madge, Des Parkinson

(Second Count)

Distribution of Church's, Davies's, Madge's and Parkinson's votes

Dafydd Llywelyn (PC) 75,158

Christopher Salmon (C) 59,302

Elected: Dafydd Llywelyn

Eliminated: Christopher Salmon

Electorate 382,051; Turnout 187,517 (49.08%, +32.70%)

And came close to getting to the second round in  South Wales

South Wales

*Alun Michael (Lab) 161,529 (40.89%, -6.06%)

Tim Davies (C) 70,799 (17.92%, +3.24%)

Linet Purcell (PC) 70,770 (17.92%)

Mike Baker (Ind) 67,454 (17.08%)

Judith Woodman (LD) 24,438 (6.19%, +6.19%)

Eliminated: Mike Baker, Linet Purcell, Judith Woodman

(Second Count)

Distribution of Baker's, Purcell's and Woodman's votes

*Alun Michael (Lab) 204,874

Tim Davies (C) 96,060

Elected: Alun Michael

Eliminated: Tim Davies

And came close to getting to the second round in  South Wales

With even a respectable showing in Gwent

Gwent

(First Count)

Jeff Cuthbert (Lab) 76,893 (46.38%, +7.49%)

Louise Brown (C) 50,985 (30.75%, +19.58%)

Darren Jones (PC) 37,916 (22.87%)

Eliminated: Darren Jones

(Second Count)

Distribution of Jones's votes

Jeff Cuthbert (Lab) 96,030

Louise Brown (C) 70,122

Elected: Jeff Cuthbert

Eliminated: Louise Brown

Electorate 432,865; Turnout 165,794 (38.30%, +24.33%)

Turnout across Wales was significantly higher than the corresponding election in 2012, with the highest figure in Dyfed-Powys, where a figure of 49.08% was recorded.

Indeed it was much higher than in England and it could be argued that the PCC's here have a far bigger Democratic Mandate than those over the Boarder,

However, there was some consternation at the number of spoiled ballot papers across Wales.

Victorious South Wales candidate Mr Michael said: 

"The message that comes across quite strongly, from the number of spoiled or blank ballots, is that people don't have enough information. It is time for the Home Secretary to back down in her refusal to allow candidates in the PCC elections to have free postage to the public."
He added that the election was "undermined by candidates not being funded for postage or electioneering leaflets".
"The government has made no investment in making this work. There is no money for postage or leaflets.
"There are a lot of spoiled ballots and you can see by comments on them how some people felt
" There were comments like 'not enough information' and 'I don't know what this is about'.
"You cannot personally get to the 1.3 million voters, however rigorously you knock on 

Its a pity Mr Michael  does not even acknowledge that some people may have spoiled their ballot because they did not want  police and crime commissioner and did so as a protest.

The result throughout Wales was a boost to Plaid .

I hope Plaid are not distracted from this result but use it push for Policing to be devolved on the same lines as it is in Scotland .