David Munro Deselected As Tory Police Commissioner Candidate

Published on: 2 Mar, 2019
Updated on: 4 Mar, 2019

Police & Crime Commissioner David Munro defeated in today’s Conservative party selection of their candidate for the 2020 election.

The incumbent Police and Crime Commissioner, David Munro, was deselected today (March 2, 2019) as the Conservative candidate for the PCC election to be held in May next year (2020).

According to a corroborated report from a Conservative party member present at the meeting in East Horsley it was attended, to the suprise of some, by around 250, mostly elected Conservative councillors and party officers. Anne Milton, Guildford’s MP is also reported to have been present. Mr Munro was eliminated in the first round of the selection.

Charlotte Chirico, who, according to her Twitter account, is a former (2017) Parliamentary candidate and a criminal solicitor, secured the selection having beaten Kevin Deanus, from Waverley Borough, in the run-off.

According to our witness, “Judging by the huge mumbling from the audience” on the subject of Traveller incursions, it was that issue, “plus the fact that crime has risen on his watch, which he tried to put down to better reporting, and his evasive answer in relation to whether the police should crack down on cannabis possession or not”, that are believed to be the reasons behind David Munro’s defeat on the day.

Ms Chirico is said not to be from Surrey but the neighbouring London Borough of Wimbledon. Although a relative unknown, she was acknowledged to have presented herself well.

Another member present said that he found the partisan behaviour displayed by sections of the audience rather distatasteful. He claimed that Guildford councillors seemed to be mainly supporting Keven Deanus while those from SW Surrey remained loyal to David Munro, who in 2016 recaptured the role of PCC for the Conservatives from an Independent. “He had won the position back and was hung out to dry.”

Bob Hughes

Guildford Conservative Association chairman Bob Hughes, who was also at the selection meeting said: “In choosing our Police Commissioner Candidate, Surrey Conservatives had three excellent people to choose from.

“Cllr Kevin Deanus is a leading figure in Guildford Conservatives and I know that many turned out to support him, but Charlie [Chorico] is clearly a rising star who will be an excellent commissioner, and I know that Guildford will support her enthusiastically.”

See also: Police Commissioner Continues to Fight for Tory Nomination

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