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Police officers’ anger at Home Secretary's double speak
Posted on 03/03/2011
The Home Sec gave a speech on 2nd March 2011 where she re-iterated some old stories about ‘Spanish practices’ in the police in relation to pay, overtime etc. It is clearly spin where she is trying to prepare the ground for the publication of the Winsor Report next week and it was leaked to parts of the media known to support the Conservatives.
Responding to the speech given on 2nd March 2011 by Home Secretary Theresa May, Simon Reed, Vice-Chairman, Police Federation of England and Wales says;
“Once again our trust in this government’s ability to play fair with the police has been undermined by the double speak of the Home Secretary, Theresa May, this morning. On the one hand she celebrates the amazing work done every day by the police, recognising the incredibly tough job officers do, fighting crime and facing danger. Yet she sees fit to reward them with pay cuts and uncertainty over their terms and conditions.
"It has taken 40 years to build fair and reasonable terms and conditions for police officers that encourages recruitment and helps retain those with the most experience. This has resulted in record numbers of police officers, but this government seems intent on turning the clock back four decades in four years.
“Instead of waiting for the Winsor Report to be published next week the Home Secretary has showed her hand and appears set to forge ahead with her own agenda; cutting the pay and terms and conditions of police officers as well as cutting police numbers. This makes a mockery of the independent report Mr Winsor has undertaken and the engagement with police stakeholders.
"The hollow words of praise from the Home Secretary are meaningless today. She has made police officers across the country feel completely undervalued."
You can read her words here
