Victory ‘bodes well’ ahead of an election

LABOUR’S newly elected Police and Crime Commissioner says her emphatic victory puts the party in good stead ahead of a General Election.

Susan Dungworth received almost 100,000 votes more than her nearest rival – Conservative candidate Ros Munro. The victory came on a day that also saw Kim Mcguinness – Mrs Dungworth’s predecessor in the role – elected as North East mayor for Labour.

Mrs Dungworth won the popular vote in all six council areas covered by Northumbria Police. Speaking at the election count in Sunderland, the former Northumberland Labour leader outlined her priorities for the role. She also claimed the results showed the public were crying out for a change in Government.

Mrs Dungworth said: “It’s an amazing, fantastic result. We hear a lot about how people are turning back to the Labour Party and to see it in numbers like that, particularly for me, is very humbling.

“We can take it that people are sick and tired of the Conservatives cutting public services and cuts to the police. They want a change. That bodes really well looking to a General Election.

“My priorities are around tackling serious and violent crime, violence against women and girls, knife crime and organised crime around drugs. They’re also about issues like motorbike disorder – the things that make people’s lives a misery. I will work with the chief constable to find ways to tackle these issues.”

The new commissioner also paid tribute to her Labour predecessors.

She added: “It’s a hard act to follow – I have big shoes to step into with Vera and Kim.”