The Reform PPC who wanted a horse like Putin

Reform’s proclivity for all things Vladimir Putin is well-documented, Nigel Farage once describing the Russian autocrat as the politician he most admired. But one Reform police and crime commissioner has now tried to emulate the president quite literally – trying to use his office to have an electoral picture taken with a horse.

Rupert Matthews, Reform’s PCC in Leicestershire, has been rebuked by a complaints panel after sending an unsolicited email to a police officer asking her “to organise for him to have a photo taken with a horse for his next election leaflet, referencing a photograph of Russian president Vladimir Putin posing shirtless on horseback”.

The panel ruled of the bizarre request that “the tone and content of the message [was] inappropriate for the office, and inconsistent with the high standards expected of a PCC”. The matter was discussed during a meeting held behind closed doors last month but was leaked to the BBC, leaving the demure Matthews to lodge his own complaint over what he said was “a disgrace”.

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Matthews’s spokesperson has denied his man would have made such a request, claiming he was scared of horses. “It is a fact that Mr Matthews has met the officer concerned several times for public engagement purposes,” said the spokesperson. “Mr Matthews has never made any secret of the fact he is extremely frightened of horses and this has been mentioned, with good humour, every time a horse or pony has been involved in the event. He would never seek to work with them out of choice” (the horse may feel the same way).

But the report, published by the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland police and crime panel complaints sub-committee, said the matter had been informally resolved.

“The PCC expressed regret at the meeting for the offence and distress caused to the complainant, and acknowledged that sending the email was inappropriate,” it said. “A reminder has been recorded about maintaining appropriate professional distance and care in communications with officers.”

Matthews will soon, however, be out of a job, as the Labour government scraps the little-loved role of PCC. Will he be missed? Neigh!