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South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner by-election, 2014


The South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner by-election was a 2014 by-election on 30 October 2014 for the position of Police and Crime Commissioner in the South Yorkshire Police region of the United Kingdom. It was triggered by the resignation of Shaun Wright, the inaugural South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, who stepped down from the position on 16 September 2014 following the Rotherham child sexual exploitation scandal. Wright had been head of children's services in Rotherham between 2005 and 2010, while events surrounding the scandal were taking place. The Labour candidate, Alan Billings, was elected.

Wright was the first Police and Crime Commissioner for the area, elected as the Labour Party candidate on 15 November 2012. He was previously a local councillor and member of the police authority.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation in Rotherham reported in August 2014. Given his prior council role and then current PCC role, there were calls for Wright to resign, including from the Labour Party, and the Conservative Prime Minister and Home Secretary. Labour threatened to suspend him from the party if he did not resign, leading to Wright leaving the Labour Party on 28 August 2014. Wright's deputy, Tracey Cheetham, resigned, calling on him to do the same. On 3 September 2014, Sheffield City Council unanimously passed a symbolic motion of no confidence in Wright, calling for his resignation. (Legislation means there is no power of recall for PCCs and the only way they can be removed is if they commit misconduct in public office, or are convicted of an offence with a custodial sentence of two or more years.)

On 16 September 2014, Wright resigned as Police and Crime Commissioner for South Yorkshire, triggering the by-election.


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