Calls for Home Secretary's resignation as police pay row worsens (Roundup)

By Rich Bowden, M&C Staff Writer Dec 13, 2007, 13:46 GMT

(FILE) A file photo of British police cordoning off The Haymarket in central London after a explosive device was found in a Mercedes vehicle, 29 June 2007. Hundreds of police officers held an emergency meeting December 12 2007 to discuss what action they can take in their pay row. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is facing mounting pressure over her decision not to backdate a 2.5 percent pay rise for police in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. EPA/ANDY RAIN

(M&C) - Police officers have called for the resignation of the home secretary as the dispute over the police pay row deepens.

Officers are calling for a 2.5 percent increase in pay to be backdated to September to account for inflation. The increase has been delayed by the government until this month, effectively cutting the increase.

Police throughout the country will be sent a ballot asking if they want to push for the right to strike. Currently law enforcement officials are prevented from such industrial action.

At an emergency meeting of hundreds of police delegates, Police Federation chairman Jan Berry said the near-unanimous call for the removal of Ms Smith was unprecedented.

"I don't remember such a call by the Police Federation being made previously but I also don't remember a Home Secretary who has betrayed the police service in the way that this Home Secretary has," she said.

"She should not underestimate the sense of betrayal and the sense of disgust that our colleagues have. They have no confidence and no trust in her to be able to negotiate our pay and conditions in future."

Mrs Berry went on: "It is alien to police officers to want to go on strike, but they feel they have been pushed into a corner where their human rights have been withdrawn from them."

Ms Smith has thus far refused to back down saying the move to delay the increase is justifiable on inflationary grounds.

The ballot of officers is most likely to take place early next year.

Update: Prime Minister Gordon Brown has backed his Home Secretary saying the delay of the police pay increase was "in the national interest".

Speaking to MPs, Mr Brown said his government's priority was to keep inflationary pressure down. In reply to a question he replied: "Nobody wants to say to the police, you cannot get a higher salary."

"But nobody wants inflation to return to the British economy and have pay awards wiped out simply by rising inflation."