Reform UK has won the Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner
by-election, with former Metropolitan Police detective Sutton securing 32,647 votes and
winning the seat from Labour.
The result will come as concerning news for the Conservative
Party, who have long been touting a Kemi bounce' but only polled
18,343 votes in an election they traditionally stormed.
previously said that the
Conservatives hit rock bottom in 2024, however
this result in a previous Tory stronghold represents a 19% drop
from their result in 2024.
Previous Conservative candidates won this election 63% of the
vote in 2021 and 54% in 2016, with Labour beating them by one
percentage point in 2021.
Reform UK Norfolk Police & Crime Commissioner Sutton said:
It's an honour that so many people across our great county have
voted for me to be their PCC. Having led major investigations in
law enforcement for many years, I know what's needed to hit the
ground running.
Norfolk has an excellent police force, but too often it has
ignored our rural areas in favour of our city and towns. That
will change, and I will ensure that Norfolk Constabulary is a
police force for the whole county.
Leader of Norfolk County Council David Bick
said:
I am delighted that has been elected as our PCC. He was
the strongest candidate by far, and I look forward to working
with him closely as Reform continues to deliver for residents
across Norfolk.
Reform UK leader said:
has worked at the very highest level
of law enforcement. So often, these positions are occupied by
politicians with no experience of our police. Norfolk now has an
experienced PCC who can hit the ground running from day one.
Norfolk's new Police and Crime Commissioner Sutton was a Senior Investigating
Officer in the Metropolitan Police from 2003 2011, leading more
than thirty successful murder investigations including the Levi
Bellfield and Nightstalker' Delroy Grant cases.
The result follows a historic set of local elections in Norfolk,
in which the Conservatives lost control of the council, falling
from the 58 seats they won in 2021 to just eight. Reform UK
surged from two seats to 40 and took control of Norfolk County
Council.
Notes to editors:
Full result of the Norfolk Police & Crime Commissioner
by-election:
Reform UK 32,647 votes
Conservatives 18,343 votes
Greens 16,907 votes
Independent 16,402 votes
Labour 14,192
Restore Britain 13,319
Liberal Democrats 10,499
