Labour’s Emma Wools elected Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales
Emma Wools has been elected as South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, becoming Wales’ first black PCC, and the first to be elected in the UK.
Ms Wools was deputy to her Labour predecessor, Alun Michael, who has stepped down.
She secured 73,128 votes, to the Conservatives 43,344, with Plaid Cymru on 27,410 and the Lib Dems 17,908. The turnout was just 17.19%.
Enormous privilege
Ms Wools, who has been the unelected deputy PCC since 2017, said: “I am honoured to have been elected by the people of South Wales.
“During the campaign I said I believed that the people of South Wales need a police and crime commissioner who knows firsthand the challenges faced by communities in South Wales.
“Today, they have elected that person and I’m delighted they have backed my vision to deliver for them.”
First Minister Vaughan Gething added: “Knowing Emma’s work firsthand as an able deputy to Alun Michael for the last seven years, I am confident that she will serve the people of South Wales with the passion for justice and equality that she is known for.”
Ms Wools’ election comes just weeks after Mr Gething was elected the first black leader in Europe.
Privilege
“It is both an enormous privilege and an enormous responsibility to be the first black female PCC in the UK,” Ms Wools added.
“It is a powerful opportunity to create change, promote diversity and inclusion, and advocate for under-represented communities, but it also comes with added pressure and higher expectations.
“I hope having someone like me in a role like this can work towards bridging the gap between policing and some of our marginalised communities here in South Wales.
“Ultimately, my hope is that it can inspire and empower others from all backgrounds to pursue their own aspirations.”
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Police and Crime Commissioners should be scrapped. Policing in Wales should be devolved to the Senedd, just like it is devolved in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
PCC – jobs for the boys but now more inclusive to bring in some of the favoured girls too ! As Rob says ditch these made up jobs for careerist party loyalists
I would be rather embarrassed knowing that I arrived into a role with a woeful 17% turnout.
We should all vote but some people want everything and put in nothing in not even a vote
I refused to vote this time around due to absolute dissolution with how the role of the PCCs has evolved. I’ve stated before on this site & elsewhere, that the original role of the PCC that was put to us by David Cameron et al primarily entailed being the liaison between the public & the police service in the event of any grievances that would/could arise. What we have now unfortunately is the role of the PCCs devoting their time (& our tax money) to defending the police service & the office of the chief constable at every opportunity. If… Read more »
She run the most invisible campaign ever. Shameful is what she should feel. This role has yet to prove itself and the turnout says so.. But as the deputy of the previous useless fool, doubt that will improve.
The Labour PCC candidates were not selected by rank and file members of the party in Wales. The decision as to who the Labour candidates were came from a ‘smoke filled room’ with little notice of the selection process even being opened. If the party did not trust its members to be involved in the selection process no wonder there is a disconnect and a low turn out. The PCC elections also have no free delivery of party election materials as in general or Senedd elections. I would say that in most parts of Wales the electors did not know… Read more »
It was this website back in November that reported on allegations of a ‘stich up’ in the PCC candidate selections in the Welsh Labour party.