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Police accuse Smith over pay deal Police to receive 2.5% pay award
(about 12 hours later)
The government has been accused of reneging on a pay deal worth more than £30m to serving officers by the Police Federation of England and Wales. The home secretary has announced that police officers in England and Wales will receive a 2.5% pay rise.
It says it has seen a letter from Home Secretary Jacqui Smith proposing not to backdate a 2.5% pay award to September. The increase is backdated to 1 December and will see all officers paid a minimum of £21,500, while those with the longest service receiving £33,800.
The federation warns police officers may seek the right to strike. Officers' groups are angry the award was not backdated to September, unlike in Scotland.
The Home Office said an announcement would be made soon, but the Scottish Government said it would go ahead with the award and backdate it to September. The Police Federation is considering balloting its members to bring back the right to strike.
It says that the pay award will effectively be only 1.9% because the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith had written to the chancellor asking for his support not to backdate the rise to September.
This is contemptuous behaviour by the home secretary Jan Berry, Police Federation Pay boost for Scots police
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's World at One programme, Ms Smith said: "We've been through a process of arbitration.
"The arbitration board recommended an award of 2.5 per cent which we have accepted.
"But I have staged it so that instead of coming into operation on the first of September it comes into operation on the first of December".
Ms Smith added that the pay award would be "just under 2%" keeping it in line with the government's target for inflation.
The Police Superintendent's Association spokesman Ch Supt Patrick Stayt said its members felt let down and angry by the government's decision.
"The award by the Police Arbitration Tribunal should have been implemented in full and in the way they recommended. "
'Emergency meeting''Emergency meeting'
The Scottish Government has confirmed that it will go ahead with the 2.5% rise, backdated to September.
Earlier this year nurses in Scotland were granted their pay rise in full. That too was ahead of colleagues south of the border, who received their pay rises in stages.Earlier this year nurses in Scotland were granted their pay rise in full. That too was ahead of colleagues south of the border, who received their pay rises in stages.
The Police Federation of England and Wales described the confidential letter's contents as "dishonourable", adding that it would mean officers receiving a lower-than-inflation pay award, effectively worth 1.9%, from December. The Police Federation of England and Wales said officers would receive a lower-than-inflation pay award.
Jan Berry, the federation's chairman, said: "This is contemptuous behaviour by the home secretary and has rightly angered the 140,000 police officers in England and Wales who have been waiting patiently for their pay award since 1 September."Jan Berry, the federation's chairman, said: "This is contemptuous behaviour by the home secretary and has rightly angered the 140,000 police officers in England and Wales who have been waiting patiently for their pay award since 1 September."
We are extremely disappointed that the Home Secretary has decided to stage the award Phil BlundellAssociation of Police Authorities We are extremely disappointed that the home secretary has decided to stage the award Phil BlundellAssociation of Police Authorities
She added that a "number of officers" were saying they should have the "right to take industrial action".She added that a "number of officers" were saying they should have the "right to take industrial action".
The federation is calling for an emergency meeting of its leaders in London next week.The federation is calling for an emergency meeting of its leaders in London next week.
"Police officers should either have full industrial rights or independent binding arbitration - currently we have neither," Ms Berry said."Police officers should either have full industrial rights or independent binding arbitration - currently we have neither," Ms Berry said.
The Association of Police Authorities (APA) and the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) have also expressed disappointment at the alleged contents of the letter.The Association of Police Authorities (APA) and the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) have also expressed disappointment at the alleged contents of the letter.
Statement due
Phil Blundell, vice-chairman of the APA, said: "The APA welcomed the recommendation from the Police Arbitration Tribunal last week and believes that the 2.5% police pay award should be implemented in full from 1 September.Phil Blundell, vice-chairman of the APA, said: "The APA welcomed the recommendation from the Police Arbitration Tribunal last week and believes that the 2.5% police pay award should be implemented in full from 1 September.
"We are extremely disappointed that the home secretary has decided to stage the award.""We are extremely disappointed that the home secretary has decided to stage the award."
Chief Constable Ken Jones, president of Acpo, added: "If the leaked letter is authentic then chiefs will be disappointed.
"They recognise and support government in their intention to ensure that pay is affordable.
"The arbitration process has, we feel, now arrived at a fair and affordable award. The award is broadly in line with comparable groups and had been budgeted for."
A Home Office spokeswoman said the home secretary was grateful for the Police Arbitration Tribunal's findings and that a statement on police pay would be made shortly.