This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/7139771.stm

The article has changed 20 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 7 Version 8
Police call emergency pay summit Police call emergency pay summit
(about 1 hour later)
Hundreds of police officers are to hold an emergency meeting to discuss what action they can take in their pay row.Hundreds of police officers are to hold an emergency meeting 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% pay rise for police in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is facing mounting pressure over her decision not to backdate a 2.5% pay rise for police in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Labour's Keith Vaz, who chairs the home affairs select committee, said he knew of 10 ministers who wanted a rethink. Some 78 MPs have signed a motion tabled by the home affairs select committee chair, Keith Vaz, urging a rethink.
Police cannot strike, but leaders are attending a Police Federation crisis summit to discuss their next move.Police cannot strike, but leaders are attending a Police Federation crisis summit to discuss their next move.
An act of Parliament bans police officers from taking strike action because of the critical role they hold in society, but senior Police Federation members have sought legal advice over possible industrial action. Senior Police Federation members have sought legal advice over possible industrial action.
'United' 'Very angry'
Ms Smith is determined that the current pay deal should fall within public sector inflation targets and said she does not believe most officers want the right to strike. Ms Smith is determined that the current pay deal should fall within public sector inflation targets.
Home Office Minister Tony McNulty told BBC One's Breakfast officers needed to look at the broader context of the decision and that the government was "wedded" to a public sector pay policy to hold back inflation. She said she did not believe most officers wanted the right to strike.
We've got to have some means by which we can register our disapproval and have the same type of employment protection that other employees have Clive Chamberlain, Dorset Police Federation chairman class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7139992.stm">Q&A: Police pay row class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=3907&edition=1">Should police get better pay? Home Office Minister Tony McNulty told BBC One's Breakfast the government was "wedded" to a public sector pay policy to hold back inflation.
"I have enormous respect for the police but we do need to keep those inflationary pressures down." As a serving Police Constable in Lancashire Constabulary, I could not and would not go on strike Ben, Lancashire class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7139992.stm">Q&A: Police pay row class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=3907&edition=1">Your views: Police pay
"I have enormous respect for the police but we do need to keep those inflationary pressures down," he said.
He said the pay bill for the public sector was a "very significant" amount of money, but despite this, the police had been treated as a "special case".He said the pay bill for the public sector was a "very significant" amount of money, but despite this, the police had been treated as a "special case".
"We have made sure that the police are in relative terms considerably better paid than others in the public sector.""We have made sure that the police are in relative terms considerably better paid than others in the public sector."
But Jan Berry, chairwoman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said its members would stand firm in their battle to have their pay rise backdated to September, like their colleagues in Scotland.But Jan Berry, chairwoman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said its members would stand firm in their battle to have their pay rise backdated to September, like their colleagues in Scotland.
She told the BBC that officers were "very angry" and "fed up of being treated in this way" and that some members wanted to "renegotiate the law and seek the right to strike".She told the BBC that officers were "very angry" and "fed up of being treated in this way" and that some members wanted to "renegotiate the law and seek the right to strike".
The federation was also seeking the right to judicial review of the home secretary's decision, she said.The federation was also seeking the right to judicial review of the home secretary's decision, she said.
"If a mistake's been made let's all be big enough and bold enough to acknowledge a mistake has been made - get the police service back on side. Parliamentary motions
"We've got plenty of reforms to be doing. We should be concentrating on the safety and security of our communities and not worrying about pay."
Staggered start
The police's 2.5% pay deal was decided through the independent Police Arbitration Tribunal.The police's 2.5% pay deal was decided through the independent Police Arbitration Tribunal.
Jacqui Smith wants the pay rise to fall within inflation targets
While officers in Scotland are having their 2.5% pay rise backdated to 1 September, as the tribunal recommended, those in other areas will receive it in full only from December. This, officers say, will amount in real terms to an increase of 1.9%.While officers in Scotland are having their 2.5% pay rise backdated to 1 September, as the tribunal recommended, those in other areas will receive it in full only from December. This, officers say, will amount in real terms to an increase of 1.9%.
The rise will see all officers paid a minimum of £21,500, with those with the longest service receiving £33,800.The rise will see all officers paid a minimum of £21,500, with those with the longest service receiving £33,800.
Jacqui Smith wants the pay rise to fall within inflation targets A total of 78 MPs have now signed Labour MP Keith Vaz's Parliamentary motion urging the government to backdate the pay award to 1 September.
Mr Vaz said on Tuesday that, as well as the 10 government ministers, dozens of MPs had told him they were concerned about the issue and wanted the home secretary to think again. More have signed similar motions put forward by Labour MPs John McDonnell and Lindsay Hoyle.
'No ordinary rights'
Officers from each of the 43 forces in England and Wales will attend Wednesday's Police Federation crisis summit in London.Officers from each of the 43 forces in England and Wales will attend Wednesday's Police Federation crisis summit in London.
They will be joined by representatives from all the police staff associations, including the Police Superintendents' Association and the Association of Chief Police Officers.They will be joined by representatives from all the police staff associations, including the Police Superintendents' Association and the Association of Chief Police Officers.
The meeting is likely to lead to a ballot of Police Federation members. We've got to have some means by which we can register our disapproval and have the same type of employment protection that other employees have Clive Chamberlain, Dorset Police Federation chairman The meeting is likely to lead to a ballot of Police Federation members.
They will be asked if they want to behave more like a trade union, or press for an independent pay review body whose decisions are binding on both sides.They will be asked if they want to behave more like a trade union, or press for an independent pay review body whose decisions are binding on both sides.
'Fair mechanism' An act of Parliament bans police officers from taking strike action because of the critical role they hold in society.
Ken Jones, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: "I feel we are not giving sufficient weight to the fact that cops don't enjoy the ordinary rights of other workers in terms of industrial action."Ken Jones, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: "I feel we are not giving sufficient weight to the fact that cops don't enjoy the ordinary rights of other workers in terms of industrial action."
The chairman of the Dorset Police Federation, Clive Chamberlain, added: "We've got to have some means by which we can register our disapproval and have the same type of employment protection that other employees have. We don't have that."The chairman of the Dorset Police Federation, Clive Chamberlain, added: "We've got to have some means by which we can register our disapproval and have the same type of employment protection that other employees have. We don't have that."
Ms Smith told MPs on Tuesday that she had a responsibility to "ensure that I put in place arrangements that are fair but also are affordable for the police service and the taxpayer".Ms Smith told MPs on Tuesday that she had a responsibility to "ensure that I put in place arrangements that are fair but also are affordable for the police service and the taxpayer".