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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Police fail to vote for right to strike | Police fail to vote for right to strike |
| (4 months later) | |
| The Police Federation has failed to secure a clear mandate to campaign for the right to take industrial action, including going on strike. | The Police Federation has failed to secure a clear mandate to campaign for the right to take industrial action, including going on strike. |
| The result of its ballot shows that only 45,651 – or one-third – of the 133,108 police officers in England and Wales eligible to vote wanted to see the Police Federation campaigning for the right to take industrial action. | The result of its ballot shows that only 45,651 – or one-third – of the 133,108 police officers in England and Wales eligible to vote wanted to see the Police Federation campaigning for the right to take industrial action. |
| A total of 56,333 officers took part in the ballot – a turnout of only 42% – with 10,681 officers voting not to seek the right to strike. | A total of 56,333 officers took part in the ballot – a turnout of only 42% – with 10,681 officers voting not to seek the right to strike. |
| The result is a significant boost for the home secretary, Theresa May, at a time when the police are trying to cope with 20% cuts in Whitehall funding and major changes to their pay and conditions as a result of the Winsor review. | The result is a significant boost for the home secretary, Theresa May, at a time when the police are trying to cope with 20% cuts in Whitehall funding and major changes to their pay and conditions as a result of the Winsor review. |
| The ballot result shows that opinion among police rank and file has not changed significantly since the last right-to-strike ballot was held in May 2008, when 87% of the 60,000 officers who took part endorsed a campaign. This time, 81% of the 56,333 who voted backed the principle of industrial action. | The ballot result shows that opinion among police rank and file has not changed significantly since the last right-to-strike ballot was held in May 2008, when 87% of the 60,000 officers who took part endorsed a campaign. This time, 81% of the 56,333 who voted backed the principle of industrial action. |
| The police lost the right to take industrial action and join a trade union in 1919 after a series of police strikes. The home secretary made clear in May last year that she had no intention of introducing the necessary legislation to give the police the right to strike. | The police lost the right to take industrial action and join a trade union in 1919 after a series of police strikes. The home secretary made clear in May last year that she had no intention of introducing the necessary legislation to give the police the right to strike. |
| Steve Williams, the Police Federation chair, said: "A significant proportion of our membership has indicated that they want the right to take industrial action. This highlights the pressures currently felt by rank-and-file officers throughout England and Wales. | Steve Williams, the Police Federation chair, said: "A significant proportion of our membership has indicated that they want the right to take industrial action. This highlights the pressures currently felt by rank-and-file officers throughout England and Wales. |
| "However, it would not be appropriate to undertake a course of action that could potentially change the employment status of more than 133,000 police officers if fewer than half of those officers have voted for us to do so." | "However, it would not be appropriate to undertake a course of action that could potentially change the employment status of more than 133,000 police officers if fewer than half of those officers have voted for us to do so." |
| He said police officers valued their unique employment status as servants of the crown and he believed the vast majority would regard industrial action as a last resort. | He said police officers valued their unique employment status as servants of the crown and he believed the vast majority would regard industrial action as a last resort. |
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