By a Political Correspondent | July 17, 2026
Colin Sutton of Reform UK has been declared the winner of the Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner by-election with 32,647 votes, replacing Sarah Taylor who formally represented Labour.
Colin Sutton spent 30 years as a police officer, rising to the rank of detective chief inspector, and leading major investigations for the Metropolitan Police before retiring to Norfolk in 2011. As the Police and Crime Commissioner, he now has control over Norfolk Constabulary’s financial budget, their policing priorities, and is able to appoint and hold the Chief Constable to account.
He campaigned against ‘two-tier policing’, stating in his manifesto: “Unfortunately, I believe policing is no longer serving the best interests of the British people, as demonstrated by controversies about two-tier policing and soft attitudes to crime and anti-social behaviour,” adding “I stand for common sense policing of real world problems, not virtue signalling nonsense pandering to noisy minorities.”
He beat second placed Conservative candidate Matthew Taylor by 14,304 votes:
Turnout: 122,309 (17.14%)
Reform UK: 32,647 (26.7%) Conservatives: 18,242 (15.0%) Green: 16,904 (13.8%) Independent: 16,402 (13.41%) Labour: 14,192 (11.6%) Restore Britain: 13,319 (10.9%) Lib Dem: 10,499 (8.6%)
He will serve until the PCC system is replaced – the role is due to be scrapped in two years’ time as part of Government plans to reform policing structures.
The election victory will come in handy for Nigel Farage as he faces challenges over undeclared funding from convicted criminal George Cottrell, as well as a £5m donation from crypto businessman Christopher Harbone. It shows Reform UK is still winning elections – boosting morale within the party ahead of the Clacton by-election.
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