Concern over ‘driving ban’ candidate for city council
CONCERNS have been raised about a would-be Plymouth city councillor who is campaigning about law and order – despite being a convicted drink-driver currently banned from the city’s roads.
Election leaflets issued by the Conservative candidate for Stoke, Genevieve Riviere, and associated social media posts feature her alongside the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Alison Hernandez.
Six months ago, Ms Riviere was handed a 17-month drink-driving ban, fined £230 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £34 victim surcharge by a court.
She wants to represent the Conservatives in the Stoke area of the city and is promoting her candidature by being seen alongside leading Tories.
Last week, Ms Riviere met the Secretary of State for Levelling up, Communities and Housing, Michael Gove, which Stoke ward Conservatives promoted as “Genevieve Riviere putting Stoke Ward on the radar of the Rt. Hon. Michael Gove.”
In February, she was pictured with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, while Plymouth Moor View Tory MP Johnny Mercer appears with her in a photo at Smeaton’s Tower.
In her campaign leaflets, Ms Riviere describes how she believes in “combating crime and antisocial behaviour,” and her Facebook page shows her meeting Ms Hernandez in her ward.
Ms Hernandez is the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners’ national lead for road safety, and is also the chair of the South West Road Safety Peninsula Partnership – a road safety coalition which is campaigning to eradicate road traffic deaths by the year 2040.
One local resident who does not want to be named said: “This is supposed to be people setting an example. How can she [Ms Riviere] be seen out campaigning with a police and crime commissioner who is trying to improve road safety?”
Asked about her prominence in election publicity for a prospective Conservative councillor convicted of road safety offences, Ms Hernandez responded only about general issues around road safety.
In a statement, she wrote: “It’s a fact that many ordinary people who are normally law abiding fail to consider their driving behaviour when behind the wheel, from speeding to drink or drug driving. It’s one of our communities’ biggest concerns.”
She continued: “I know life can be stressful and people aren’t always thinking of others which is why we must do everything we can to help remind people of the consequences. Through the Vision Zero partnership, collectively we want zero road deaths and serious injuries by 2040 and we still have a long way to go to achieve that. I’m thankful the police are out there doing their job on our roads and catching people to prevent a serious incident occurring.”
In January, Ms Hernandez spoke about a Christmas drink-driving campaign in which 200 arrests were made. “Drink and drug driving is a choice people take which endangers lives and it is completely unacceptable,” she said.
Ahead of that campaign, she said: “Those found guilty of this crime face losing their licence and even going to prison, which could cost you your job and livelihood.” Because Ms Riviere’s conviction did not result in a prison sentence of more than three months, she is eligible to stand as a councillor.
Ms Riviere and the chairman of Plymouth Sutton & Devonport Conservative Association were both contacted about this issue, but said they had nothing to add to the statement by the Police and Crime Commissioner.