Robocop sweeps to victory

"Robocop" Ray Mallon provided Labour with fresh embarrassment today as he became one of Britain's first directly elected mayors, sweeping to victory on a tough law-and-order ticket.

The 46-year-old former police chief superintendent who tried to bring US-style zero-tolerance policing to Britain, became Mayor of Middlesbrough this afternoon.

His crushing defeat of Labour's candidate, Middlesbrough Council deputy leader Sylvia Connolly, will be seen as a message that the party's record on crime has not satisfied local voters.

Independent Mr Mallon won 26,232 votes against only 9,653 by Ms Connolly in a poll with a respectable 42 per cent turnout.

The former head of Middlesbrough is at the centre of controversy over the way he ran his regime as police chief. Only yesterday a murder trial in Leeds heard claims that he had forced some criminals to sell drugs that he had taken from police stores.

Mr Mallon has also pleaded guilty to disciplinary offences that arose out of an internal corruption investigation within his force. He claims he was the victim of a vendetta by senior colleagues.

At this afternoon's announcement of the result, Mr Mallon said: "In recent years local people have seen the council and police force impose higher and higher

taxes whilst giving very little in return - that ends today.

"The public are crying out for change in the way this town is run and I will deliver that change."

Mr Mallon joins other independents who swept aside mainstream parties in parts of Britain.

Worcestershire saw the independent Kidderminster Hospital Heath Concern party - which fought against the closure of the local A&E department - win five seats to take control of Wyre Forest District Council. In Elmbridge, Surrey, a consortium of residents' groups won control.

Grassroots campaigners also got a foothold in Lewisham, where a candidate representing Local Education Action By Parents won a seat on the council.