“The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Tony Hogg has resigned from the Conservative Party in “disgust” at the way the Government has “failed” to promote the election of a successor.
Mr Hogg, who secured the party nomination and became the first elected PCC four years ago, says the Government is paralysed by the EU referendum.
He says the public is “sleepwalking” towards the poll on May 5 without any publicity and suspects the ‘”low-key” approach is designed to disadvantage independent candidates.
The former Navy commander said senior figures in Whitehall had confided this week that the Government was in “stasis” over a feared Brexit.
“I am resigning from the party because I am disgusted by the way the Government has failed to project the extreme importance of this milestone in our democracy,” he told the Western Morning News.
“The Government is doing absolutely nothing and the public are drifting rudderless towards a national election which is costing millions of pounds.
“Experienced people have told me the Government is in stasis, with nothing going in or out, because of the myopia over the election. Our MPs are not saying anything either – I think a lot of our local politicians don’t understand the job.”