"WE HAVE got the two banks of the Humber covered to stop Lord Two Jags John Prescott."
That was the battle cry from MEP Godfrey Bloom, the UK Independence Party candidate in the election for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside.
He announced his candidacy for the job on a visit to Grimsby and unveiled his running mate, Mike Speakman, the former deputy Chief Constable for Humberside.
They were joined by UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who predicted a "huge upset" in the election, which he claimed was a race between other candidate John Prescott and Mr Bloom.
Mr Speakman lives on the south bank of the Humber, while Mr Bloom lives on the north bank.
He claimed the election in November was a "two-horse-race" between him and Lord Prescott for Labour.
"My team has got both banks of the Humber covered so we can stop Two Jags Prescott," said Mr Bloom.
He told how he would resign as MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire if he were elected as commissioner in November.
And he had plenty of praise for Chief Constable Tim Hollis for the progress made in tackling crime in the region.
But he added his tours of Grimsby had highlighted work which still needed to be done.
Driving to his launch at Millfields Hotel, in Bargate, Mr Bloom said he was appalled to see a marked police car on the A46 Laceby Road monitoring speeds at the end of a road which has clearly marked signs for a 50mph limit, then 40mph, then 30mph.
He said: "Instead of sitting in his car, he should be out dealing with the troubles on a Friday and Saturday night in the town centre and dealing with those taking drugs.
"I shall be asking Tim (Chief Constable Tim Hollis) 'Why?' a lot."
Mr Bloom added that he would campaign, along with other Police and Crime Commissioners, for stiffer sentences for burglars.
He said UKIP was the real party of law and order, adding: "With Mike, the voters will see a team with broad experience and, equally important, in policing".
Mr Speakman, who served as deputy chief constable for five years, said: "Godfrey has the right ideas and I want to help get him elected. I do not know anybody who wants Lord Prescott, and the Tories have no credibility on law and order.
"They are the party savagely cutting the police budget and the pay of policemen and women. They do not value the police."
Find out more
The Telegraph is running profiles of those up for election as candidacies are announced. Grimsby Institute students have taken part in a debate with the candidates – see Monday's Grimsby Telegraph for coverage.
