The phrase above refers to someone who is seemingly insignificant suddenly finding the power to retaliate against those in power over them. However I am using it here to suggest that a series of independently held views across a wide number of people can lead to a collective response that will upset a prevailing orthodoxy. All three of the people mentioned in this blog are significant players in their own parties, but not necessarily the true power brokers. However each reflects views which are held amongst many in the grass-roots of all three parties and indeed amongst many other small parties and the population at large.

On 15th November all electors outside London will be asked to vote for the first Police and Crime Commissioner for their Police Force area. I am standing in Sussex and my website is available here. All three parties are putting forward candidates in some areas although only Labour appear committed to selecting candidates in all 41 areas. The desire to bring some democratic accountability into the Police featured in the manifestos of all three parties prior to the last General Election. However it is clear that not all members of these three parties believe that Party Politicians are the ideal people to be elected to these posts. Indeed the people who developed the concept of the Police and Crime Commissioners, initially wanted to prevent party politicians from standing at all!

Enter our three elder statesmen

Sir Peter Tapsell is the longest-serving MP in the House of Commons (according him the title Father of the House of Commons) he was knighted in 1985 and has been a constituency MP for 51 years in total with an unbroken record of 46 years. He is no stranger to disagreeing with the Conservative Government, but his views on this subject resonate with many other members of the party who are otherwise true loyalists. Sir Peter is a Lincolnshire MP holding the seat for Horncastle, Louth and Woodhall Spa. In July this year he spoke to a local paper who quoted him as saying:

“I am not at all keen on the idea of elected police commissioners. “I think it will lead to the politicizing of police and I fear there will be continual disputes between the commissioner and the chief constable, particularly when you get an extreme left wing commissioner. “I can imagine a lot of disputes would become public knowledge and that is the last thing anyone wants. “I am totally against the idea and I won’t be involving myself in the process at all, no matter who the candidates are.”

His fear of an extreme Left wing candidate, is in part a reflection of his own views, just as some others within the Conservative party are as fearful of extreme right-wing views taking hold of their local constabulary.

The fear of politicisation is well accepted in other parties. As early as 2008 Jacqui Smith who as Home Secretary was considering a different way of democratising the current arrangements for police governance. However she changed her mind after discussing the matter with senior police officers. She is quoted as saying:

“They said to me there is a real risk that something that is very important in British policing – about non-politicisation – is at risk of being undermined, and I think when you are faced with something that fundamental, it is quite important that you do take stock.”

The same concern has been expressed by high-profile Liberal Democrats including Baroness Sally Hamwee who said in 2011:

“Chief among my fears is that of moving towards the politicisation of the police. “I fear that this will be difficult to avoid, not just because of the likelihood of candidates having a campaigning infrastructure of political parties behind them”

I personally know of a wide number of people from amongst all three of these political parties who wish to ensure that the Police and Crime Commissioner is someone without any previous political party experience. However they are not wanting to see someone elected who has no experience of working with the police, or indeed who lacks the ability to challenge the police or advocate on their behalf amongst other agencies. They want to support someone who is able to show evidence of engaging with communities across a wide range of geographies and with a diverse set of interests. For that reason these people are committed to helping me become the first Police & Crime Commissioner for Sussex.