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12
Oct 2021
Ripon MP Julian Smith calls for police commissioner Philip Allott to go
Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith has said North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Philip Allott “should go” over comments he made in the wake of Sarah Everard’s murder.
Mr Allott has faced calls for his resignation after saying Ms Everard “never should have submitted” to arrest by killer police officer Wayne Couzens.
Conservative Mr Allott, who was elected in May, also said women needed to be “streetwise”.
He later apologised for his remarks, but indicated he would remain in post.
MP Julian Smith, a Conservative himself and former chief whip, has now spoken out saying Mr Allott had lost the trust of women.
He tweeted on Monday:
Read more:
- Under-pressure crime commissioner Philip Allott: ‘I will not resign’
- Pressure mounts on Philip Allott as LGBTQ+ group withdraws invite
Mr Smith’s tweet was supported by North Yorkshire’s former Conservative PFCC Julia Mulligan who replied: “Thank you Julian for speaking out.”
The North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel will meet on Thursday with discussion of Mr Allott’s comments forming part of the agenda.
He is expected to face questions over his remarks made to BBC Radio York on 1 October – the day after the sentencing of Wayne Couzens, who tricked Ms Everard by falsely arresting her for a breach of covid guidelines.
Mr Allott told BBC Radio York:
Mr Allott has since repeatedly apologised.
In one apology, he said on Twitter:
The Stray Ferret also asked Andrew Jones, Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough and Nigel Adams MP, whose Selby constituency includes part of the Harrogate district, if Mr Allott should stay in his role but we did not receive a response.
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