Sarah Everard: By-election date set after police commissioner quits

Voters will go to the polls on 25 November to elect a new Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner in North Yorkshire, officials have confirmed.

The election follows the resignation of Philip Allott over comments he made about women's safety after the murder of Sarah Everard.

The Conservative quit after a unanimous vote of no confidence passed by the county's Police, Fire and Crime panel.

Mr Allott had only been in post for five months having been elected in May.

The commissioner had faced multiple calls to stand down since 1 October, when he told BBC Radio York women should educate themselves about powers of arrest, saying they should know "when they can be arrested and when they can't be arrested".

He made the comments after it emerged serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens had used his warrant card to falsely arrest Ms Everard for breaching coronavirus guidelines.

Following a meeting of the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel on Thursday, Mr Allott tendered his resignation.

In a letter he apologised again for his remarks, which he said did not reflect his views.

In a later tweet, he said he had "become the story" and was a "distraction" from work to protect the victims of violence.

The North Yorkshire Police area returning officer has confirmed a notice of election will be published on 21 October and, if more than one candidate intends to stand, a by-election will be held on 25 November.

Elections for commissioners use the supplementary vote system in which voters rank candidates in order of preference.

If no candidate receives a majority then all but the two leading candidates are eliminated and a second count takes place.

In the second count, the second preference votes of those supporting eliminated candidates are distributed among the two leading candidates.

In May, Philip Allott took 83,737 of the first and second-preference votes. Labour candidate Alison Hume was in second place with a total of 53,442 votes.

Until the election an acting commissioner is expected to be appointed by the county's Police, Fire and Crime Panel.

That person would be chosen from the staff of the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

The panel said it expected to meet to discuss interim arrangements shortly.

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