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Police to vote on right to strike Police to vote on right to strike
(11 minutes later)
Every police officer in the UK is to be balloted over whether they want to lobby for the right to strike, the Police Federation has said.Every police officer in the UK is to be balloted over whether they want to lobby for the right to strike, the Police Federation has said.
The decision came during a meeting of police officers to discuss a pay row.The decision came during a meeting of police officers to discuss a pay row.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith faces 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 faces mounting pressure over her decision not to backdate a 2.5% pay rise for police in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Officers also passed a vote of no confidence in Ms Smith over her ability to deal with their pay and conditions.Officers also passed a vote of no confidence in Ms Smith over her ability to deal with their pay and conditions.
Delegates at the emergency meeting also called for the home secretary's resignation over the dispute.Delegates at the emergency meeting also called for the home secretary's resignation over the dispute.
As a serving Police Constable in Lancashire Constabulary, I could not and would not go on strike Ben, Lancashire Q&A: Police pay rowYour views: Police payPolice officers' views
Some 78 MPs have signed a motion tabled by the home affairs select committee chair, Keith Vaz, urging a rethink.Some 78 MPs have signed a motion tabled by the home affairs select committee chair, Keith Vaz, urging a rethink.
Police leaders are attending the Police Federation crisis summit to discuss their next move, and to seek legal advice over possible industrial action.Police leaders are attending the Police Federation crisis summit to discuss their next move, and to seek legal advice over possible industrial action.
'Special case'
Ms Smith is determined that the current pay deal should fall within public sector inflation targets, but she did not believe most officers wanted the right to strike.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown told MPs in the House of Commons the government had to ensure that pay settlements were affordable and consistent with wider pay policy.
"I would like more than anybody to be able to say to the police that we could pay their wages and their salary rise in full.
"But I have to say to them that no policeman and no person would thank us if their pay rise was wiped out by inflation," he said.
He added that police pay had risen by 39% over the last 10 years and that Scotland had been able to backdate the pay rise to 1 September only by putting plans for 500 more officers on hold.
Home Office Minister Tony McNulty earlier told BBC One's Breakfast 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 added: "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.
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".

POLICE PAY ROW

Earnings lost if 2.5% rise not backdated to September 2007

Rank Salary Loss PC (entry level) £21,009 £131 PC (after training) £24,813 £155 Sergeant £32,985 £206 Inspector £42,264 £264
The federation was also seeking the right to judicial review of the home secretary's decision, she said.
The chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, Norrie Flowers, said the Scottish Executive had honoured its agreement to backdate the pay deal and that Ms Smith "should do the same".
The police's 2.5% pay deal was decided through the independent Police Arbitration Tribunal.
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 - due to inflation - to an increase of 1.9%.
PUBLIC SECTOR PAY Police constables currently start on £21,009Teachers' starting salary is £19,161 in England and Wales. In Scotland it is £23,316 New prison officers earn £18,483 in England and Wales. In Scotland they receive £14,373Lower grade civil servants, such as administration assistants, begin on between £11,750 and £14,083 depending on departmentFirefighters start on £20,396, rising to £27,185 after reaching "competent" status Source: Unison 2006 figures, Fire Brigades Union Public sector pay comparisons
The consumer prices index puts inflation at 2.1%, while the retail prices index, on which many pay deals are based, has risen to 4.2%.
The pay increase will see all police constables paid a minimum of £21,500, with those with the longest service receiving £33,800.
Officers from each of the 43 forces in England and Wales are attending Wednesday's Police Federation crisis summit in London.
They have been joined by representatives from all the police staff associations, including the Police Superintendents' Association and the Association of Chief Police Officers.
They will discuss 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.