WHEN Bob Spink stands for election to be Essex’s next police and crime commissioner in May, it will be six years since he last sat in Parliament as Castle Point’s MP.

Having largely stayed out of the public eye since 2010, last month’s announcement that he would stand as Ukip’s PCC candidate was as unexpected as it was eye-catching.

As an MP, Mr Spink was unafraid of speaking his mind, first as a Tory and later representing Ukip after defecting in 2008 to become the party’s first representative in the House of Commons.

He believes his independent-minded nature will make him the ideal candidate to success Tory Nick Alston, who is not seeking re-election.

Mr Spink said: “I think this is a very important office and it struck me there was very little opposition to the Tory cuts, so it is time to fight that cause.

“The cuts are totally wrong. It is the first duty of government to make people safe and they are not doing that.”

The role of police and crime commissioner has been much maligned - only 13 per cent of Essex voters took part in the election to select Mr Alston in 2012 and there have been repeated calls to abolish the post.

A month ago, Essex Police announced it would cut the number of PCSOs from 250 to 60 and shut the front counters of 15 stations as part of a bid to save £60million by 2020.

Mr Spink believes the current PCC has not done enough to challenge the funding cuts imposed by the Government and insists Tory candidate Roger Hirst continue Mr Alston’s legacy.

He said: “The people of Essex have a straight choice of either voting for someone to fight the cuts or another Tory councillor who will support the cuts.

“Mr Alston hasn’t joined other PCCs in trying to challenge the Government - he has refused to campaign to fight the cuts.

“The turnout in 2012 was only 13 per cent - the people of Essex didn’t understand the role of PCC, which is a very important one.

“Some people are saying they should be scrapped, but we need something there to be put between police and politicians.

“If the PCC isn’t there, police would be reporting straight to Westminster and that would be a police state.

“PCCs shouldn’t be party political. I probably qualify more than most because I have shown myself to be independent and strongminded across 36 years in politics.

“I don’t follow the party whips and that is why I fell out with the Tories.”

The former Home Office junior minister has called on the Government to reduce its foreign aid and European Union contributions by five per cent instead of cutting back on police spending.

He added: “We want to fight the Treasury. If nobody goes there and makes the argument, then they certainly won’t listen, so the first thing is to get someone strong and experience in managing government and police forces.

“We need to keep the police properly funded and I think people will come out and vote for that and we can be successful.

“Junior doctors had been told by ministers they wouldn’t get their pay rise, but they forced the Government to act.

“That is the power of the people.”

Mr Spink said his decision to stand as PCC was partly inspired by a run-in with a burglar in his own home.

He said: “Earlier this year I got out of bed and caught a burglar red-handed. Essex Police were fantastic, but severely stretched.

“Police cuts are wrong on every level. They’ll cost us all more in the long run due to increased crime and social costs.”

WHO ELSE IS STANDING TO BE PCC?

THE Conservatives have selected Roger Hirst as their candidate to succeed Mr Alston, who announced he would not be seeking re-election.

Mr Hirst, who is currently county councillor for planning and deputy leader of Brentwood Council, was chosen after a hustings involving Essex party members.

He said: “"I believe passionately in being tough on antisocial behaviour and reducing the disruption and distress it causes people, having zero tolerance for domestic violence and its impact on families, cracking down on organised crime and serious violence, and making the police more visible and accessible."

INDEPENDENT candidate and Southend councillor for public protection, Martin Terry, believes there job of commissioner has been muddled by “political interference”.

He has called for current proposals to cut £63million from Essex Police’s budget to be halted.

Mr Terry said: “The people of Essex have not had the chance, or opportunity, to consider how safe they want their communities to be.

“Instead, we have had a fait accompli delivered by weak compliance with national Government will.

“If I’m elected, there will be a proper debate and robust proposals developed to reverse this decline.”

NO OTHER candidates for next year’s elections have been announced to date.

In 2012, independent candidate and former chief superintendent Mick Thwaites came within 4,000 votes of defeating Mr Alston in the final ballot.

Labour candidate Val Morris-Cook finished in third place.