IT'S fair to say Junab Ali is not best pleased at having to campaign again to be the county's Police and Crime Commissioner.

But he says the experience of the first has improved his campaign this time round.
The long-serving Labour Swindon borough councillor and former mayor is one of three candidates for the job who stood in the May election.

The election has had to be run again because the winner, Conservative Jonathon Seed, was barred from taking the post because of a 30-year-old driving conviction.
Philip Wilkinson will represent the Tories this time around, with the election taking place on August 19.

Coun Ali said: “Perhaps the most annoying thing about it is that we haven’t heard a word of apology from Jonathon Seed or the Conservatives. 

"This is costing £1.5m and not a word has been said."
Coun Ali said he agrees with such a stringent test for commissioners. Nobody can hold the office if they have been convicted of a crime for which prison is one of the sentences.

He said: “It is a high bar, but not only does the PCC hold the chief constable to account, you’re setting the agenda and priorities for the police force and making big decisions. People have got to have confidence in the police and if it were known the commissioner had a serious criminal record, I think they’d wonder what was going on.”

Now gearing up again for the August poll Coun Ali says his experience in March and April has changed his priorities a little.

He said: “I was aware of rural crime and I took it seriously before the last campaign but speaking to people across the county made me realise how much of an issue it is and I think it needs to become more of a priority for the force.”

The other area that Coun Ali is keen to see more done is the safety of women and girls. 

He said: "The murder of Sarah Everard has really thrown this into relief. 

"I would have a senior officer responsible for making sure that women and girls were able to be safe and feel safe.”

Were the Swindon councillor to be elected as Wiltshire’s PCC he would perhaps have the closest line of all PCCs in the country to the Justice Secretary Robert Buckland – the South Swindon MP and the member for Coun Ali’s Central ward.

He said: “I will work with anyone to improve policing in Wiltshire if I am elected. 

"I am the chairman of the Police and Crime Panel which has previously always had Conservative councillors as chairman and vice-chairman, my deputy is a Liberal Democrat. I have been on the panel since 2012 so I have a lot of experience – but it will be helpful to have the Justice Secretary on my doorstep.

“I want the whole system to be improved, and my priority will be preventing crime and the causes of crime. It was a Labour slogan in the 90s, but it’s just as important now. We need to  address those causes.”

Along with Coun Ali, returning candidates are Mike Rees, Independent and the Reform UK candidate Julian Malins. Brian Matthew replaces Liz Webster as the Liberal Democrats' candidate.