Bob Ashford, who was the Labour candidate for the post, was forced to stand down yesterday after being told that an offence he was convicted of in 1966 - when he was 13 - barred him from standing.
Labour MP for Bristol East, Kerry McCarthy, said it was "grossly unfair".
Local businessman John Savage has been announced today as the new candidate for the party.
Ms McCarthy said: "I don't think even the government realise that this legislation was as draconian as it's turned out to have been drafted.
"The minister said at the time that this amendment to the act came through that it wouldn't stop people people in Bob's position running for police commissioner.
"It just seems grossly unfair to me that what I think anyone would regard as a very trivial incident 46 years ago - he's had a exemplary life since then, he's been very much involved in the community doing youth work, criminal justice system and so on.
"That that would bar him from taking up a role that he's really very suited to.
"The ironic thing is that it wouldn't bar him from becoming home secretary, it wouldn't bar him from joining the police force and becoming chief constable.
"So it seems a bit strange that they've put this provision in the law."
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