Labour fight back against police right to strike

Police gave Ms Smith a hostile reception

Wednesday, 21, May 2008 12:00

Home secretary Jacqui Smith received a frosty reception at the Police Federation's conference in Bournemouth today when she told police officers that "setting out on the road to the right to strike will only lead to a dead end".

She told officers that she also stood by her decision to award a pay rise in stages.

Prior to Ms Smith's address, the Federation's chair Jan Berry told the home secretary that she had "betrayed the police service".

Mrs Berry described the decision of the government to award a 2.5 per cent pay rise in stages as a "breach of faith" and a "monumental mistake".

Awarding the pay rise in stages effectively reduces the overall reward to 1.9 per cent.

The government's decision prompted over 20,000 police officers to protest on the streets of Westminster in January.

Yesterday officers overwhelming voted to lobby the government for the right to strike. Currently the police are banned for taking industrial action.

The home secretary declared that the British police force was the "envy of the world" in her speech today.

She also praised the impact that community support officers have had on fighting crime.

Ms Smith began her address by praising Greater Manchester police officers for their role in tackling the violence following the Uefa Cup final between Rangers and Zenit St Petersburg earlier this month.

She is due to publish a green paper on policing next month.