‘Pay Is Not A Joke, Home Secretary’

HAMPSHIRE Police Federation has issued an angry rebuttal to the Home Secretary after her unsatisfactory speech at the annual conference.

Zoë Wakefield, Federation Chair, was speaking after Priti Patel addressed the Police Federation of England and Wales meeting in Manchester.

A number of delegates served the Home Secretary with home truths about how they or their members were struggling to make ends meet during the cost of living crisis, but she failed to offer any hope to officers over pay.

Zoë said: “The Home Secretary didn’t really give us any of the answers that we were looking for – particularly around pay, which is the biggest issue with police officers. At one point she was even laughing. This isn’t a joke.

“An officer in there described how she’s struggling – an officer with more than 20 years’ service. So many officers are really struggling and she just doesn’t seem to want to even listen.”

The Home Secretary suggested that the problems emerged from Federation officials withdrawing from the pay process, but this was rejected by delegates.

Zoë added: “I would like to ask the Home Secretary why the Police Remuneration Review Body isn’t independent. I would like to ask her why she’s not taking into account the fact that we have discussions for many, many years, and why she hasn’t been engaging with the Federation prior to Steve Hartshorn taking up the post as Chair.”