Labour’s candidate, Kerry Barker, made a strong challenge to the incumbent, Sue Mountstevens, in the election for a police and crime commissioner for Avon and Somerset. With more than 100,000 votes, Kerry was way ahead of the other candidates from political parties.
Kerry came second in the first round of voting – putting him into a second round against Mountstevens. The final result, with second preferences taken into account, was
Barker: 100,565
Mountstevens 118,547
The first round of voting held good news for Labour. In Somerset, Labour polled 10,730 votes – and was ahead of UKIP, the Greens and the Lib Dems.
So with the election of Mountstevens, those who think the police and crime commissioner should be “non political” have won. But Kerry Barker’s strong showing has boosted Labour’s claim to be the only alternative to the Tories in the south west.
TO SEE A BREAKDOWN OF RESULTS IN YOUR AREA CLICK HERE.