Defeated police and crime commissioner candidate promises to carry on fighting for victims of domestic abuse

One of Warwickshire's defeated police and crime commissioner candidates has vowed to carry on fighting for grieving families and the victims of domestic abuse.

Labour's Ben Twomey failed to unseat the Conservative Philip Seccombe when the election results were counted this week, polling 45,768 votes across the county – around 40,000 fewer than the winner. Lib Dem Louis Adam polled 26,660 with Henry Lu, of Reform UK, securing 6,692 votes.

Mr Twomey, who is head of policy and research for a leading children's rights charity, said: "My thanks go to the voters of Warwickshire, the 45,000 who put their support in me. I congratulate Philip Seccombe on his re-election and wish him every success in the next three years to reduce crime and stand up for victims in the county.

"I ran this election on a simple premise of not to speak for people but to stand with them and in this election I have stood with grieving families who have lost their children in road traffic collisions. I am going to continue that work after today and a law is going through parliament right now which gives proper sentences to killer drivers.

"I am also going to continue to stand up for victims of domestic abuse and hate crime and I feel that in this election we have put a spotlight on hidden crimes and if we encourage just one person to come forward to seek support or access justice then I am proud of those efforts too.

"Finally I think there is something that needs to happen in this county around a conversion with young people – how do we change the situation so that young people have the same opportunities that I and every other candidate in this election had."

Mr Seccombe, whose initial four-year term as police and crime commissioner was extended by a year due to the Covid pandemic, said it was important to listen to those raising concerns across Warwickshire.

He said: "The other candidates have come forward with some good pledges of their own and I believe they are in the interest of the communities and it wouldn't be right for me not to listen to what they have said."