POLICE and crime commissioner Tony Lloyd has defended his decision to appoint a deputy on £55,000 a year.

The former Tory candidate for the role Michael Winstanley and his former election agent — Bolton Tory leader David Greenhalgh — have both criticised the move by Mr Lloyd to appoint a number two. Mr Lloyd represented Manchester Central as an MP for Labour before taking on the £100,000-a-year role as commissioner last November.

At a meeting at Bolton Town Hall he unveiled Manchester City Council deputy leader Jim Battle as his new second in command.

Mr Lloyd said the selection process had been independent with a panel of three being tasked with whittling down a list of 16 applicants into a shortlist of five, with three from that list then being interviewed directly by Mr Lloyd.

Mr Battle will be stepping down from Manchester City Council before taking on his new role.

Mr Winstanley, a former Mayor of Wigan who stood against Mr Lloyd in November, said: “It is outrageous that this position is being paid at £55,000 from the public purse and it is scandalous that it has gone to a Labour Party crony. I am sure the people of Greater Manchester will be disgusted with this appointment, “It is no wonder that people have lost faith in politicians.”

Mr Greenhalgh said: “We wonder why politicians are held in such low esteem. The Labour Party continually moans about cuts and then manages to find £55,000 which could have been spent on frontline policing.

“The phrases ‘jobs for the boys’ and ‘gravy train’ spring to mind.”

Mr Lloyd said: “Jim Battle is the best man for the job.

“The reason I waited to appoint a deputy is that I wanted to see if there was a need for the post, and there is.

“He wasn’t appointed because he was Labour but because he can work well for the people of Greater Manchester.”