by political editor Paul Francis

Ann Barnes is to stand down as the chairman of Kent Police Authority within weeks after declaring her candidacy for the Kent police commissioner's job.

Mrs Barnes declared her intention to stand as an independent candidate
yesterday.

She now says she has decided to stand aside from her role as the police authority chairman because she did not want there to be any conflict with her election campaign.

Under the Home Office rules, police authority members are entitled to remain in post up until the official campaign period, which starts in October.

However, Mrs Barnes, who was only recently reappointed to the job as police authority chairman, said: "I feel I have a moral responsibility to do so because I do not want to put the authority or the force into any position which makes things difficult for them.

"I will be very careful about what I do and am in touch with the standards committee to make sure I am not doing anything that puts them in an invidious position."

She said she did not yet know when she would hand over the reins, but
expected it to be within weeks.