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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| John Prescott to stand for police commissioner post | John Prescott to stand for police commissioner post |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Lord Prescott will run to be elected as one of the UK's first police and crime commissioners, he has announced. | Lord Prescott will run to be elected as one of the UK's first police and crime commissioners, he has announced. |
| The former deputy prime minister confirmed he will run for the post in the Humberside elections in May. | The former deputy prime minister confirmed he will run for the post in the Humberside elections in May. |
| Directly elected police and crime commissioners (PCCs) are being been brought in to replace police authorities in England and Wales. They will have the power to hire and fire chief constables, set the police force's budget and "strategic direction". | |
| The flagship initiative, introduced by the coalition government, has received harsh criticism from Labour politicians, who claim the commissioners are unnecessary and costly. | The flagship initiative, introduced by the coalition government, has received harsh criticism from Labour politicians, who claim the commissioners are unnecessary and costly. |
| Falklands war veteran Simon Weston has confirmed he will stand against the former Wales first minister and ex-Labour minister for rural affairs, Alun Michael, for the job of police and crime commissioner for South Wales. | |
| Michael, MP for Cardiff South and Penarth, was previously the sole candidate for the £100,000-a-year job. | |
| Weston, 50, a father of three and former Welsh Guardsman, was badly burned when the Sir Galahad was destroyed in 1982 during the Falklands conflict. | |
| He suffered 46% burns on his body and underwent 70 major operations or surgical procedures during a slow recovery. He overcame his injuries and went on to forge a career as a charity worker, children's author and after-dinner speaker. | |
| On Thursday, Weston urged others to follow his example and stand as a commissioner to stop ageing politicians taking the roles. | |
| Weston's spokesman, Jason Smith, confirmed the veteran would stand against Michael in the elections, which take place on 15 November. | |
| Weston earlier told the Sun: "Why should the politicians corner the market? Why should they have any greater insight to life? | |
| "There are so many talented people out there who haven't had a chance to do their bit yet. I'm going to stand as an independent candidate because I believe I can make a contribution and bring something different." |