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ITN
Police to receive ballot papers
Police to receive ballot papers
Ballot papers are about to be sent to police officers across the UK as their pay row escalates.Officers are voting on whether to fight for the right to strike after Home Secretary Jacqui Smith refused to backdate a 2.5 per cent pay rise to September 1.Police officers are banned from striking by an act of Parliament but an emergency meeting has been held in central London by members of the Police Federation to discuss what action to take.A spokesman for the Police Federation of England and Wales said the vote will be conducted among all officers, including those in Scotland and Northern Ireland. It is likely to take place in the first three months of 2008.Senior police officers from the 43 forces in England and Wales also called for the Home Secretary's immediate resignation after a no-confidence vote in the ability of Ms Smith to deal with their pay or conditions.The Police Federation claims the Goverment's refusal to backdate the salary increase to September 1 effectively reduces the increase to 1.9 per cent.Of the no-confidence vote, chairman of Sussex Police Federation, Detective Inspector Brian Stockham, said: "It is a very simple message - we have no trust or confidence in the Home Secretary. She has treated us with disdain and contempt."He said the crucial blow had been a leaked letter between Ms Smith and the Treasury, which indicated that the pay settlement had been a significant break from the previous system."She claims she has the high moral ground, but in fact she is in the low foothills of morality because she has treated the national negotiators preposterously."Alan Gordon, vice chairman of the Police Federation, said: "What's coming through from representatives around the country is police officers do not want to go on strike. They do not want to do anything that will jeopardise the safety of people in this country."The Police Federation said protest rallies will take place in London and Redditch in coming weeks to ramp up pressure on the Government.Les Gray, chairman of Strathclyde Police Federation, said his members are "very aggrieved" over the pay settlement for their colleagues south of the border.He said Ms Smith had "betrayed" police officers in England and Wales with a 1.9 per cent settlement.He said: "I cannot believe the way my colleagues from the rest of the UK have been treated."Stan Hebborn, of Surrey Police Federation, said: "My members are unhappy that they have been offered something which has very quickly been taken away before it had been delivered."The issue is not the amount of money, which is between £150 and £200 per individual. It is more the fact the whole process has been reneged upon."There are greater things on the horizon we need to discuss. At the moment, we need to find out exactly what my members want from the Home Secretary."Senior Police Federation members have already taken legal advice on whether any industrial action could be taken to force the Government's hand.© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.
ITN | December 13, 2007
