Former Police Commissioner switches to Lib Dems, running again

Punchline reports:

Gloucestershire pioneering Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Martin Surl is planning a comeback.

The ex-police officer, who was the first incumbent of the role as an independent from 2012 to 2021, has been announced as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the role at this May’s elections.

Mr Surl says he joined the Liberal Democrats after being impressed by the party’s approach to law and order…

Mr Surl said: “This is a worrying time for our country and I feel more motivated than ever to stand up for what I believe in.

“The Conservative Party has failed on crime, with people and overstretched police officers left to bear the burden. There are huge backlogs in the courts which are denying victims the justice they deserve. Prisons are in crisis: overcrowded, understaffed and failing to rehabilitate offenders…

The Liberal Democrats finished second in the 2021 Gloucestershire Police and Crime Commissioner elections, behind the Conservative party, with Mr Surl finishing in third place as an independent. The Labour party finished fourth.

You can follow Martin on @GlosPCC.

Details of the new Parliamentary constituency boundaries, showing how they compare with the previous ones, are available from the House of Commons Library.

See all the Liberal Democrat PPCs selected and publicly announced so far here.

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