As the results of the Police and Crime Commissioner elections came in, Charles Clarke issued the following statement.
Statement from Charles Clarke
The elections for Police and Crime Commissioners have been the dangerous shambles that many of us predicted.
The Commissioners who have been elected will have no mandate for any strategic judgement and no authority in relation to the police force in their area. They will have the power to meddle and demoralise but not the power to promote good and effective policing.
The fundamental constitutional and structural problems of these posts have simply been intensified by the shambolic organisation and dismal turnout.
At the next General Election the Labour Party should commit itself to abolishing these police and Crime Commissioner posts at the end of the current term and putting in a new system of police accountability in 2016.
Rt Hon Charles Clarke
Home Secretary 2004-06
Charles Clarke was interviewed about this statement on BBC Radio Five Live at 08:10 on Saturday, November 17th 2012.
Click here to listen to the interview from 2 hrs 10 mins to 2 hrs 14 mins.