PCC candidates call for criminal investigation into Jonathon Seed

Mr Seed stepped down on Sunday (May 9) after it emerged he was disbarred from taking the office due to a 30-year-old driving offence.

Today (May 10) other PCC candidates have been left reeling from the news tax-payers may have to fork out for another election, if Mr Seed is declared winner at the PCC vote count being held today.

Mike Rees, who is running for the role as an independent, has said there “needs to be consideration” given into a criminal investigation into Mr Seed’s actions.

Mr Rees said that Seed has made a “complete farce” of the process – where candidates must pay £5,000 to run.

Mike Rees at the Malmesbury Amateur Boxing Club

“Looking at the count, it’s looking like he’s probably going to win which means there’ll be a re-election,” he said.

“For a start there needs to be consideration given into a criminal investigation about his activities and why should the taxpayer fund the re-election?”

Mr Rees has said he will consider running again depending on how the results come out today.

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Liz Webster, who is the Liberal Democrat hopeful said the question needs to be asked on when the Conservative party knew about the historic conviction and was ineligible to stand.

“If it was before Thursday, why didn’t they say anything before?” she added. “Because that would have allowed the voters to make an informed decision and we may not have had to re-run the election.

“Once the result is declared, we’re pretty sure that Seed will not take his place. A formal police investigation will need to be launched and depending ont he outcome of this it may be a case for the Crown Prosecution Service.”

Liz Webster

Swindon Labour’s Junab Ali asked why the party or Mr Seed’s agent did not raise this sooner.

Mr Ali told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “They need to do a thorough investigation. I don’t know if it’s the job of the police, but someone has to because it’s going to cost the taxpayer £1.5m.”

Not only this but other candidates have invested as much as a year-and-a-half into their respective campaigns.

“Who’s going to pay for that?” he asked.

Junab Ali is the Labour candidate for the Wiltshire and Swindon Police and Crime Commissioner role

He said whoever is responsible for the situation should have to pay for the election costs and the costs of each candidate.

Brig Oubridge at election count at Five Rivers Health and Wellbeing Centre, Salisbury DC8200P8. Picture by Tom Gregory.

The Green Party’s Brig Oubridge said: “I wonder whether Conservative central office will be paying for that rather than the Wiltshire and Swindon taxpayers.

“It’s a fiasco, really. I think it’s fairly clear what’s happened; the question is who pays for it.”

Julian Malins

Reform UK’s Julian Malin’s QC said it was not his habit to “punch a man when he’s down”.

In a statement, made when Jonathon Seed withdrew his candidacy for the role, the Tory PCC candidate said: "To the best of my knowledge and belief when I applied for, and became the Police and Crime Commissioner candidate for the Conservative party in Wiltshire and Swindon, I was an eligible candidate.

"I have declared my thirty-year-old driving conviction to the party in my applications both to be a parliamentary candidate and more recently a PCC candidate.

"Party officials confirmed my belief that my offence did not disqualify me.

"I have now been advised that this is not the case, and that I am disqualified as a PCC candidate. I have therefore withdrawn.

"I am bitterly disappointed that I will not be able to take up the post if I were to be elected. I wish the successful candidate every success in the role.

"I will continue with my work as a local councillor and within the local community, to which I have dedicated my life for the past 20 years."

Mr Seed has declined further approaches for comment.