A FIREFIGHTER has been announced as the Labour candidate for this year's Police and Crime Commissioner elections.

Steve Howley, who lives near Selby, has been selected by the party to stand against Julia Mulligan and other candidates in the election in May.

He is leader of the Fire Brigades Union in North Yorkshire, and has served in Malton and York fire stations in his 18 years with the service.

If elected as PCC, Mr Howley said he would offer "genuine alternatives to frontline cuts", stand up to Westminster, hold open surgeries and community events across the county, increase public and police officer safety and improve road safety and police attendance times.

Mr Howley said: "I am looking forward to the challenge. I’m not a career politician, I’m someone with close to two decades’ experience on the frontline serving in our emergency services as well as working at a strategic level for the past 6 years.

"With the government’s dangerous plans for PCCs to take responsibility for fire and rescue in addition to the police, I’m someone who knows what is really happening on the frontline within your emergency services in North Yorkshire because I work it every week."

As reported in The Press, Mr Howley and Mrs Mulligan look set to face two candidates standing as independents in what is only the second PCC election: former North Yorkshire Police officer and author Mike Pannett, and former vice chairman of Scope, David Hayes.

Mr Howley said he had experienced firsthand delays caused by cuts to services, after "trying to keep someone alive at a road accident for 40 minutes waiting for an ambulance or the police to arrive".

He said: "My frustration at the constant cuts to vital emergency services while at the same time millions of pounds is being wasted in other areas of those services is my ultimate driving factor to become PCC.

"I know I can work positively with the Chief Constable to make a difference and deliver the most cost effective, efficient Police service while improving on Police Officer numbers and service delivery to the tax payers of North Yorkshire.

"It is time for change, a strong and effective leader not afraid to stand up to the Tory government in Westminster, with a detailed knowledge and understanding of the challenges our modern day emergency services face is what’s needed. I’m determined to win this election, so that North Yorkshire has someone strong standing up for our police and emergency services."