IN response to your story concerning the Police and Crime Commissioner election (The Hunts Post, October 31), while it is interesting to note that the Tories’ first chioce is now backing someone else, for me and thousands of electors the key factors in this election are about stopping the G4S privatisation, and having an elected commissioner with the experience and abilities to represent all residents, irrespective of party politics.

I have lived and worked in Cambridgeshire most of my life, went to school here and, like residents, I use local services and I will represent residents’ interests.

The Government is cutting our local police, making it harder, not easier, to fight crime. Cuts and G4S privatisation plans go too far and put safety at risk. Sacking police officers and workers is not the answer.

Victims of crime need to be at the heart of policing plans.

Policing should be without fear or favour, by consent and not for profit.

More crime-prevention work is my priority.

With growing populations we need fair funding to protect our local policing teams.

I will work with local residents, voluntary and community organisations to continue the crime reduction seen under Labour.

I am the only candidate who can win who will ensure our police remain public servants, as I have a clear plan not to award a contract to G4S.

This is the budget I have presented to the Chief Constable, and it is the one I hope the public will support.

I am also the most experienced candidate. When I was a member of the police authority, I served on the South-East Regional Crime Squad and helped instigate the formation the National Crime Squad, chaired the district/county crime reduction panel and was police spokesperson with responsibilities for representing county forces nationally as well as setting budgets. I led the police authority appointing a chief constable and deputy.

I understand the financial pressures the police face. As a parliamentary candidate in 2010, I bucked the electoral trend in Cambridgeshire by engaging with all residents, particularly elderly residents and pensioner groups.

I have a successful track record, having served as a parish, county, city councillor in Cambridgeshire and governor for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.

I will work hard to make sure policing is linked in to our other local public services like health, schools and councils as well as the private and community sectors.

ED MURPHY

Labour Party candidate for Cambridgeshire PCC

Peterborough