PCC David Jamieson backs 'people's vote' on Brexit

Labour PCC David Jamieson says Brexit could mean his force loses access to 'crucial systems' that help police keep the public safe.

He is one of a small number of Labour politicians in the West Midlands to call for a so-called 'people's vote', which would effectively see a poll on an issue the public already voted on in June 2016.

The move was opposed by nearly three quarters of Express & Star readers in a recent Brexit poll.

Mr Jamieson's intervention on the issue has been branded 'crazy' and 'utterly unecessary' by West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge, who said a re-run of the referendum would be 'an affront to democracy'.

The PCC is due to attend a public meeting to discuss Brexit on December 13.

Safety

He said: “Brexit will make it harder for law enforcement agencies to keep us safe. Data sharing with European bodies is crucial in the fight against terrorism, child sexual exploitation and gun crime.

“There are crucial systems that West Midlands Police is at risk of losing access to, which help them to catch serious criminals and keep the public safe. They are used against EU nationals and UK criminals alike.

“The British people did not vote to be less safe, they did not vote to constrain the police, nor did they vote to make it harder to bring international criminals to justice, that’s why we need a people’s vote.”

Mr Etheridge, the deputy chairman of the Libertarian Party UK, said there was little support for a 'people's vote', which many people in the West Midlands viewed as 'an affront to democracy'.

"Once again Mr Jamieson is busy politicising his role when he should be focused on putting bobbies on the beat and stopping the out-of-control crime wave in the West Midlands," he said.

"Rather than concentrate on policing, his sole concern is using his role as a vehicle to push forward his own left-wing agenda."

Speakers at next week's meeting also include meeting Labour MP Jess Phillips and Brigid Jones, the deputy leaders of Birmingham Council.