Deputy Police Chief Yvonne Mosquito driven out

Across England and Wales there is not one elected BME Police Crime Chief (PCC), and as we draw closer to the re-election of these PCC’s, it is unlikely that any of that will change. The one crumb of comfort in this barely democratic method – as average turnout for electing police chiefs was only 15 percent – and that was Yvonne Mosquito.

When David Jamieson ran to be elected as the first West Midlands PCC he ran with Yvonne Mosquito as his number two.  Mosquito is well known in Birmingham and the West Midland particularly for her efforts in fighting for race equality. When Jamieson won he made Mosquito his Deputy. Her appointment was seen as good move, not least because within Birmingham’s Labour Party politics Black people always seem to miss out.

But to be clear Mosquito wasn’t there just because she was Black. Even before becoming Deputy Police Chief she had vast experience in the area, having been the Vice Chair for the former Police body the West Midlands Police Authority, where she served on several committees including as Chair of the Personnel Committee and Vice Chair of the Equalities Committee.  Yvonne also represented West Midlands Police Authority at the national Association of Police Authorities.

But now having served with distinction including being a beacon for other Black people to follow, her boss Jamieson has given her notice that she has to go.  No reason why, just that she is no longer wanted.

To anyone looking from the outside Yvonne Mosquito has been treated dreadfully by Jamieson, who made a deal to get the Black vote for his own nomination by promising Mosquito the Deputy role, and equally promised that if he was re-elected she would serve again.  Now it seems he’s not only reneging but also trying to find ways to get her out.

Many people feel that Mosquito was used to help get Jamieson into office, now that she’s no longer needed it’s felt that she is being cast aside.

We hope that the proud Yvonne Mosquito challenges him and the Labour Party. We want to know why the office of the PCC is running rough shod over this woman.  Same thing occurred in a London local borough where Labour Party officials there lied and connived to get rid of another Black woman after she had beaten a powerful white candidate in a fair selection battle.

This continual behaviour within political parties has to stop, and I hope the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and NEC member Keith Vaz intervene to put a halt to the hounding out of Yvonne Mosquito.

Simon Woolley