DEVON and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Hogg has resigned from the Conservative Party over the way the Government has ‘failed’ to promote the election of a successor.

Mr Hogg, who became the first elected PCC four years ago after winning the Conservative Party nomination, said the Government’s approach to the election on May 5 was ‘low key‘ and the Government was paralysed by the EU referendum.

He said: ‘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.

‘The Government is doing absolutely nothing and the public are drifting rudderless towards a national election which is costing millions of pounds.’

Six candidates are bidding for the post of PCC — ex naval commander Gareth Derrick (Labour), Alison Hernandez (Conservative), chief of staff for Torbay MP Kevin Foster, former police constable Jonathan Smith (UKIP), Richard Younger-Ross, a former Liberal Democrat MP, former farmer William Morris (Independent) and former Devon and Cornwall acting assistant chief constable Bob Spencer (Independent).