Humberside's Police and Crime Commissioner 'mystified' by MPs' criticism

Humberside's Police and Crime Commissioner, Jonathan Evison
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


Humberside's Police and Crime Commissioner has claimed to be "somewhat mystified" by criticism in a damning letter sent from local MPs.

Humberside's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) was joined by both the Chief Constable and Deputy Chief Constable of Humberside Police in facing a group of local councillors at the Humberside Police and Crime Panel in Hessle.

Following a long discussion over the Force's recent PEEL Report, the Panel's attention was turned to what one councillor described as "the elephant in the room".

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Earlier this month four local Labour MPs, Emma Hardy (Hull West and Haltemprice), Karl Turner (Hull East), Melanie Onn (Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes), and Sir Nic Dakin (Scunthorpe), wrote a letter to the Humberside Police and Crime Panel expressing their deep concerns relating to "inappropriate practices within the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner."

Despite having previously denounced the MPs' concerns as being "politically motivated" and demonstrating a "general lack of understanding", the PCC, Jonathan Evison, faced direct questioning over the MPs letter during the scrutiny panel.

Mr Evison told the councillors he had "no idea what the MPs are talking about" and that the MPs hadn't reached out to him personally to discuss their concerns.

When Cllr Paul Smith of East Riding Council asked the PPC "why do you think they sent the letter?", Mr Evison explained that he could not answer Mr Smith's as he would have to give a "political answer" which as a politically impartial PCC, he cannot do.

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