Reading MP Martin Salter has welcomed today’s decision (18 Dec 08) by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to drop the Government plan to directly elect some members of police authorities.

The policy was designed to make police directly accountable to local communities, but concerns were raised by the police and local councils that this would lead to the politicisation of the police force as well as raising fears that the positions would be targeted electorally by extremist far-right parties.

Martin Salter MP, who sits on the Home Office Select Committee, triggered the committee’s inquiry into the issue after listening to the concerns of the Thames Valley Police Authority and lobbied the Home Secretary to drop the proposals.

Martin Salter MP said:

“I’m pleased Jacqui Smith has come to this decision. Whilst it’s important that the police take into account the views of local residents, making police authorities directly elected would allow far right groups such as the BNP to gain a foothold in our neighbourhoods. As turnout for this sort of election - as we’ve seen in the case of Foundation Trusts - tends to be quite low, it would give unscrupulous far-right groups the opportunity to mobilise their supporters to get one of their thugs elected, with potentially damaging results for minorities and communities in general.”