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Police Federation says it has no confidence in Patel amid pay row Police Federation says it has no confidence in Patel amid pay row
(32 minutes later)
A body representing police officers in England and Wales says it has no confidence in the home secretary, amid a row over their pay.A body representing police officers in England and Wales says it has no confidence in the home secretary, amid a row over their pay.
The government said on Wednesday that pay for officers earning over £24,000 would be frozen this year, amid Covid pressures.The government said on Wednesday that pay for officers earning over £24,000 would be frozen this year, amid Covid pressures.
The Police Federation said it showed "warm words" from Priti Patel "have not been backed up with action".The Police Federation said it showed "warm words" from Priti Patel "have not been backed up with action".
This amounts to a real-terms cut and was an "insult", it added.This amounts to a real-terms cut and was an "insult", it added.
The Police Federation represents more than 130,000 rank-and-file police officers. The Police Federation, which represents more than 130,000 rank-and-file police officers, said it would withdraw its support from the body which reviews police pay.
John Apter, the federation's national chairman, said members are "so angry" with the government after working for 18 months on the front line of the pandemic, and seeing other public services receive pay increases while they get nothing.
He said the Police Remuneration Review Body, which makes recommendations on officers' pay, is "not truly independent" and "has its hands tied by the government who continually interfere".
Unions to consult NHS staff over 3% pay riseUnions to consult NHS staff over 3% pay rise
Announcing the pay freeze in a written ministerial statement on Wednesday, Ms Patel said: "This is in order to ensure fairness between public and private sector wage growth, as the private sector was significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic in the form of reduced hours, suppressed earnings growth and increased redundancies, whilst the public sector was largely shielded from these effects." Mr Apter said the Federation has "tried its level best" to work with the government, but said: "They cannot be trusted or taken at face value in the way we would expect."
The National Police Chiefs' Council also said the pay decision would make many officers feel "undervalued" and called on ministers to fund "meaningful and fair" pay increases for 2022.
Announcing the pay freeze in a written ministerial statement on Wednesday, Ms Patel said it was to ensure "fairness" between public and private sector wage growth.
She said that "the private sector was significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic in the form of reduced hours, suppressed earnings growth and increased redundancies, whilst the public sector was largely shielded from these effects"
But Labour said the Police Federation's "extraordinary decision" to declare it had "no confidence" in Ms Patel was "a devastating blow for a hapless home secretary".But Labour said the Police Federation's "extraordinary decision" to declare it had "no confidence" in Ms Patel was "a devastating blow for a hapless home secretary".
Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas Symonds said: "The truth is, Priti Patel has badly let down police officers, who have served our country so bravely throughout this pandemic.Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas Symonds said: "The truth is, Priti Patel has badly let down police officers, who have served our country so bravely throughout this pandemic.
"A zero percent pay offer is completely unacceptable - it is a real terms pay cut, exposing the hypocrisy of a Conservative government that gives warm words of praise to the police and refuses to back it up with action.""A zero percent pay offer is completely unacceptable - it is a real terms pay cut, exposing the hypocrisy of a Conservative government that gives warm words of praise to the police and refuses to back it up with action."