Lib Dems to propose no-confidence vote in Police Commissioner

Liberal Democrat members of the York and North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel will be proposing a no confidence motion in Phillip Allott at the panel meeting tomorrow.

This comes after Mr Allott refused to resign over his offensive comments following Sarah Everard’s murder that have been branded as victim blaming. Condemnation of the comments and calls for his resignation have come from across the political spectrum, including the Fire Union, North Yorkshire MP Julian Smith and former Police Commissioner Julia Mulligan.

Thursday (14th October) will see the cross-party Police, Fire and Crime Panel hold a virtual meeting in which Mr Allott will face questions over his comments and plans to address violence against women and girls across the region. The Panel has received over 100 complaints and will only hear four questions from the public. 

Liberal Democrat Councillor Darryl Smalley, a member of the Police, Fire & Crime panel, will be questioning Mr Allott’s conduct and proposing a vote of no-confidence in the Commissioner’s performance.

Councillor Smalley has also called for ‘recall’ legislation – the law that allows MPs to be held to account by voters when their conduct falls short of the standards expected of them – to be extended to Crime Commissioners.

Councillor Darryl Smalley, Liberal Democrat Member of the York and North Yorkshire Police, Fire & Crime Panel, commented:

“Mr Allott’s comments and the hurt and anger he has caused is simply unacceptable. With a more than 10,000-strong petition and countless others who have called for his resignation, this scandal cannot be simply swept away.

“There is a need for a cultural as well as legislative change through the system to protect women and girls and make our streets safer – this change must start with the Commissioner.

“If passed, the no-confidence vote could not directly remove Mr Allott from his post, but it would clearly send a message of condemnation over his appalling comments.

“It’s frankly outrageous that Police Commissioners are so unaccountable to the residents they are elected to serve. The ‘recall’ laws which apply to MPs should urgently be extended to include Police Commissioners, who are have direct power in deciding how to spend taxpayer’s money.”