Open Primary for Conservative Nomination for West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner

Many people still don't realise it, but in November everyone in the West Midlands will get to vote for their Police and Crime Commissioner. This is a seriously important role with the power to set the police budget and to hire and fire the Chief Constable.


Labour selected their candidate, someone representing everything that's wrong with the current governance arrangements, via an opaque and uninspiring process. In contrast, the Conservatives are selecting our candidate via a series of open primaries, where anyone who's registered to vote in the West Midlands can come along and vote on the selection. You don't need to be a member of any political party - just register, turn up and vote.


Your choice is between Matt Bennett, until recently a Birmingham Councillor and Executive Member for Children's Social Care, and Joe Tildesley, a Solihull Councillor and retired police officer.


The four primaries take place as follows. All start at 7pm prompt:

• 4th July: Erdington
• 5th July: Walsall
• 10th July: Halesowen
• 11th July: Solihull

Email office@birminghamconservatives.org.uk to register and for further details.


For more information, read the story on the Birmingham Conservatives website or have a look at Dominic Fisher's article on Conservative Home.