Leaked document shows Home Secretary was 'strongly in favour of' three per cent pay rise
The chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) has launched a scathing attack on the Prime Minister saying her decision to go against a recommendation from the Home Secretary to give officers a three per cent pay rise was “personal”.
Recommendations from the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) were ignored for a second year in a row when the Government announced a two per cent pay rise for officers in July. However, the increase is effectively just a one per cent uplift as part of last year’s non-consolidated pay award ends this month.
However, it has now emerged that Home Secretary Sajid Javid proposed implementing the PRRB recommendation in full.
PFEW chair John Apter said the Government is quick to thank the police service following a major incident, but “turn a blind eye” when it comes to important discussions on remuneration.
A Home Officer letter leaked to The Telegraph says Mr Javid told Ms May she was making “the wrong decision” for not following the three per cent increase recommended by the PRRB – an increase he was “strongly in favour of”.
It said: “As you will be aware, the Police Remuneration Review Body recommended the consolidation of the one per cent non-consolidated award for police officers from 2017/18 and, following that consolidation, a two per cent consolidated increase for officers at all ranks from September 1, 2018.
“The Home Secretary was strongly in favour of this. However, the Prime Minister and chancellor have decided that officers should only be given a two per cent consolidated pay award, meaning only a small one per cent pay rise in reality. He continues to be of the view that this is the wrong decision.”
At this year’s PFEW conference in May, Mr Javid promised officers he would fight for more funding, prompting confidence among the workforce that he would be more supportive than his predecessors.
However, the Home Office’s announcement of another disappointing pay increase led officers to quickly lose confidence in their new Home Secretary, with North Yorkshire Police Federation chair Rob Bowles saying it showed Mr Javid’s speech was “just rhetoric”.
After the letter emerged, Mr Apter rounded on Mrs May after she thanked the emergency services for their response to the suspected terror attack in Westminster on Tuesday morning (August 14).
The PFEW chair responded to her message on Twitter by saying a ‘thank you’ “doesn’t quite cut it”.
“Your thanks to those brave police officers means nothing Prime Minister. You can no longer show contempt for policing and to those who deliver it and expect them to accept your thanks the next day. That’s not how it works! Warm words are not enough.”
He said it was “disappointing” that the Government is first to celebrate the brilliance of police officers yet when it comes to important issues of remuneration, the lack of resilience and the increased demand our colleagues are facing, those who have the power to do something about the crisis in policing simply turn a blind eye.
He added: “The level of extreme terrorism that we are facing in the UK cannot be underestimated and if the threat from terrorism isn’t enough for the Government to wake up and invest adequately in our police service than I don’t know what is.
“Our officers are out their risking their lives day in day out to protect the public and the very least they deserve is to be supported for the extremely dangerous and demanding job they do.
“Today we have heard that the Home Secretary urged the Prime Minister to honour the Independent pay body recommendation, this was ignored. It is no wonder many police officers feel the contempt the Prime Minister has for policing and for those who deliver it is very personal.”
“The level of extreme terrorism that we are facing in the UK cannot be underestimated and if the threat from terrorism isn’t enough for the Government to wake up and invest adequately in our police service than I don’t know what is.
“Our officers are out their risking their lives day in day out to protect the public and the very least they deserve is to be supported for the extremely dangerous and demanding job they do.
“Today we have heard that the Home Secretary urged the Prime Minister to honour the Independent pay body recommendation, this was ignored. It is no wonder many police officers feel the contempt the Prime Minister has for policing and for those who deliver it is very personal.”
The Home Office said it would not comment on leaked documents.
