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Theresa May to Police Federation: you don't like me, but I don't care Theresa May to Police Federation: you don't like me, but I don't care
(35 minutes later)
Channel 4’s Krishnan Guru-Murthy, who had been brought in for the event as freelance referee, introduced the contenders: “Please welcome the home secretary Theresa May and the chair of the Police Federation, Steve White.” There was a long pause before either appeared and some in the audience began to wonder if the two had come to blows before they had even made it to the stage. When May addressed the Police Federation last year she had been received in total silence, after calling them out as a bunch of reactionary jobsworths who had lost the trust of the public. Expectations were high for the re-match. Channel 4’s Krishnan Guru-Murthy, who had been brought in for the event as freelance referee, introduced the contenders: “Please welcome the home secretary, Theresa May, and the chair of the Police Federation, Steve White.” There was a long pause before either appeared and some in the audience began to wonder if the two had come to blows before they had even made it to the stage. When May addressed the Police Federation last year, she was received in total silence, after calling them out as a bunch of reactionary jobsworths who had lost the trust of the public. Expectations were high for the re-match.
White was certainly in no mood to forgive or forget. He has the build of a bruiser and his speech was equally combative. The home secretary had been wrong about Plebgate and wrong about everything else. The country was now a less safe place, police morale was at rock-bottom and the public would be shocked if they really knew what was going on. White was certainly in no mood to forgive or forget. He has the build of a bruiser and his speech was equally combative. The home secretary had been wrong about Plebgate and wrong about everything else. The country was now a less safe place, police morale was at rock bottom and the public would be shocked if they really knew what was going on.
“It would appear that the cuts have been nothing more than a smokescreen for ideological change,” he declared. This must be the first time a chair of the Police Federation has sounded like a firebrand neo-Marxist. Certainly well to the left of any of the likely contenders for the leadership of the Labour party. And how would White’s revolution be won? With Tasers. “We have called for a greater rollout of Taser, because we know it works,” he added, giving May a glare that suggested he would be happy to give her a practical demonstration. May briefly looked up to return the compliment with a “bring it on if you think you’re hard enough” stare of her own. With a final appeal to the home secretary’s conscience, White sat down to a rather reluctant standing ovation.
Related: Stop scaremongering and prepare for further cuts, Theresa May tells policeRelated: Stop scaremongering and prepare for further cuts, Theresa May tells police
“It would appear that the cuts have been nothing more than a smokescreen for ideological change,” he declared. This must be the first time a chair of the Police Federation has sounded like a firebrand neo-Marxist. Certainly well to the left of any of the likely contenders for the leadership of the Labour party.
And how would White’s revolution be won? With Tasers. “We have called for a greater rollout of Taser, because we know it works,” he said, giving May a glare that suggested he would be happy to give her a practical demonstration. May briefly looked up to return the compliment with a “bring it on if you think you’re hard enough” stare of her own. With a final appeal to the home secretary’s conscience, White sat down to a rather reluctant standing ovation.
Conscience is something that seldom bothers the home secretary. Nor was she in the mood to give an inch. The conference slogan had been #cutshaveconsequences but for May they don’t. The electorate had just given her free rein to do whatever she liked without any of the touchy-feely Lib Dem nonsense and she intended to spend the next five years doing just that. There were plenty more reforms and cuts to the police that were needed and the federation could choose to work with her or not. On balance, she would rather they did, but she wasn’t that bothered either way.Conscience is something that seldom bothers the home secretary. Nor was she in the mood to give an inch. The conference slogan had been #cutshaveconsequences but for May they don’t. The electorate had just given her free rein to do whatever she liked without any of the touchy-feely Lib Dem nonsense and she intended to spend the next five years doing just that. There were plenty more reforms and cuts to the police that were needed and the federation could choose to work with her or not. On balance, she would rather they did, but she wasn’t that bothered either way.
The police had been scaremongering and crying wolf for too long, she said. Moan, moan, moan, that’s all they did. How about catching some crims instead? “I want police cars to become mobile police stations.” Presumably that will mean using the boot as a holding cell. If only the police had the same conviction rate as May; the home secretary is so sure of herself she doesn’t even notice the contradictions in her own arguments. Having gone on at length about how the police needed to become less target driven, she introduced one of her own: Crime is falling. I am right and you are wrong.The police had been scaremongering and crying wolf for too long, she said. Moan, moan, moan, that’s all they did. How about catching some crims instead? “I want police cars to become mobile police stations.” Presumably that will mean using the boot as a holding cell. If only the police had the same conviction rate as May; the home secretary is so sure of herself she doesn’t even notice the contradictions in her own arguments. Having gone on at length about how the police needed to become less target driven, she introduced one of her own: Crime is falling. I am right and you are wrong.
You can’t fight that kind of self-belief and much to White’s dismay the audience buckled and gave her a polite round of applause. She even took a few questions from members of the Old Bill. “Please don’t talk down to us,” one pleaded. May looked confused. How else was she meant to talk to a bunch of idiots? Once or twice, she tried to appear placatory. “I will go away and think about what you’ve said,” she promised (and then forget all about it, she didn’t add).You can’t fight that kind of self-belief and much to White’s dismay the audience buckled and gave her a polite round of applause. She even took a few questions from members of the Old Bill. “Please don’t talk down to us,” one pleaded. May looked confused. How else was she meant to talk to a bunch of idiots? Once or twice, she tried to appear placatory. “I will go away and think about what you’ve said,” she promised (and then forget all about it, she didn’t add).
The hardest question came from Guru-Murthy. “Wasn’t the whole point about the boy who cried wolf,” he asked, “that there was a wolf and the boy died?” If looks could kill. May smiled wanly, making a mental note to sack her speech-writer. And to remind the new culture secretary to make life as difficult for Channel 4 as for the BBC. The hardest question came from Guru-Murthy. “Wasn’t the whole point about the boy who cried wolf,” he asked, “that there was a wolf and the boy died?” If looks could kill. May smiled wanly, making a mental note to sack her speechwriter. And to remind the new culture secretary to make life as difficult for Channel 4 as for the BBC.