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Labour police commissioner candidate forced to quit over conviction Labour police commissioner candidate forced to quit over conviction
(about 1 month later)
Labour is facing the embarrassment of having to withdraw from the Northamptonshire police and crime commissioner election in two weeks time after its candidate was forced to quit on Monday.Labour is facing the embarrassment of having to withdraw from the Northamptonshire police and crime commissioner election in two weeks time after its candidate was forced to quit on Monday.
The party has launched an inquiry into the suspension of Lee Barron, a regional secretary of the Communications Workers Union, as its official candidate after it emerged he had been arrested and fined £20 for willfully obstructing the police during a pub incident 22 years ago.The party has launched an inquiry into the suspension of Lee Barron, a regional secretary of the Communications Workers Union, as its official candidate after it emerged he had been arrested and fined £20 for willfully obstructing the police during a pub incident 22 years ago.
The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, is hoping for a high-profile Commons byelection victory in the Northamptonshire constituency of Corby but now faces the prospect of not contesting the county's police commissioner job. Nominations closed on 19 October.The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, is hoping for a high-profile Commons byelection victory in the Northamptonshire constituency of Corby but now faces the prospect of not contesting the county's police commissioner job. Nominations closed on 19 October.
Barron is the third Labour candidate to be forced to quit the police commissioner contests because of a minor conviction in their youth. He has been a magistrate for the past 10 years and in a statement said: "I was a young lad at the time. I don't think society takes a view that if you do something wrong you should be punished for the rest of your life. That night was a sea change for me. From that moment on I pledged I'd never get into trouble again and that's why I have been a magistrate for 10 years."Barron is the third Labour candidate to be forced to quit the police commissioner contests because of a minor conviction in their youth. He has been a magistrate for the past 10 years and in a statement said: "I was a young lad at the time. I don't think society takes a view that if you do something wrong you should be punished for the rest of your life. That night was a sea change for me. From that moment on I pledged I'd never get into trouble again and that's why I have been a magistrate for 10 years."
Barron said he was arrested when trouble flared as he was watching an England football match in a Northampton pub in 1990. A friend was arrested and Barron, aged 19, at the time tried to intercede. He was himself arrested and fined £20 for obstruction.Barron said he was arrested when trouble flared as he was watching an England football match in a Northampton pub in 1990. A friend was arrested and Barron, aged 19, at the time tried to intercede. He was himself arrested and fined £20 for obstruction.
A Labour spokesman said: "We are disappointed to learn from Lee today that he has a previous conviction which bars him from standing as a candidate. He has been suspended with immediate effect and we have withdrawn our support pending an investigation."A Labour spokesman said: "We are disappointed to learn from Lee today that he has a previous conviction which bars him from standing as a candidate. He has been suspended with immediate effect and we have withdrawn our support pending an investigation."
Several candidates have been caught out by changes to the rules governing the kind of convictions that debar police commissioner candidates. The original legislation specified that only those which carried a custodial sentence would count but this was widened to all convictions, a move which had the support of Labour.Several candidates have been caught out by changes to the rules governing the kind of convictions that debar police commissioner candidates. The original legislation specified that only those which carried a custodial sentence would count but this was widened to all convictions, a move which had the support of Labour.
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