Caroline Henry prepares to meet new puppy after Police and Crime Commissioner defeat
Caroline Henry says she feared her defeat as Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner was coming, but has denied that her speeding offences played a role. Labour's Gary Godden now takes office as Mrs Henry prepares to meet the new puppy that she promised herself if she lost.
Mrs Henry was first elected Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner in 2021, defeating Labour's Paddy Tipping, who had previously held the role since its creation in 2012. Mrs Henry's time in office has included securing millions of pounds of funding under the Government's 'safer streets' programme, with initiatives including more CCTV cameras and more patrols.
Mrs Henry was also one of the figures leading tributes in the wake of the Nottingham attacks, inviting the then Home Secretary Suella Braverman to the Council House. Yet Mrs Henry's time in office was also overshadowed by the five speeding offences that she was convicted of in court.
Do you feel safe in Nottingham city centre? Let us know here
When asked what caused her defeat after the election result was declared at the Rushcliffe Arena on Friday (May 3), Mrs Henry said: "I think this is national picture. Our Conservative voters stayed at home, there hasn't been a massive increase in the Labour vote, it's just our Conservative voters haven't come out this time and that's the issue for us.
"I did worry that it was coming, I'm always an optimist and a glass half full kind of girl, but actually I only had a three percent majority last time so I always knew that it would be a tough battle to win again. I'm really proud of what I've done as Police and Crime Commissioner and actually the office that I leave behind will really deliver for the community of Nottinghamshire."
The Conservative candidate achieved 77,148 votes, compared to Gary Godden's 119,355. The Liberal Democrat candidate, David Watts, achieved 32,410 votes.
When asked what came next for her, Mrs Henry said: "It was a win-win for me today, because if I didn't win today, I was going to be getting a puppy. So I'm looking forward to meeting the puppy on Sunday."
Darren Henry, the Conservative MP for Broxtowe and Caroline Henry's husband, was also at the count and Nottinghamshire Live approached him for an interview about the election results. Mrs Henry quickly intervened to stop the interview before it started, telling her husband: "It's not about you today darling."