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Police Federation leaders to step down Police Federation leaders forced out as union feud intensifies
(about 5 hours later)
The Police Federation's modernising chairman and general secretary are to stand down after a string of controversies following the Plebgate affair. The feud at the top of the Police Federation has claimed the scalps of its two most prominent figures, modernising chair Steve Williams and general secretary Ian Rennie, who simultaneously announced their departures following a string of controversies that included the Plebgate affair.
The chairman, Steve Williams, who has been contemplating resignation for months, announced he would stand down in May and retire from the police service. Williams, who has been contemplating resignation for months, announced on Monday he would stand down in May and retire from the police service.
He said Plebgate had contributed to confidence in the federation being "severely tested". Williams commissioned a review that urged radical reform of the federation, which represents 127,000 police officers in England and Wales. Rennie, in an email obtained by the Guardian, wrote that he would depart after learning he would face a challenge to his position and concluding that many colleagues on a powerful federation committee no longer supported him.
"Over the last few months, despite at times some significant challenges and opposition along the way, I have tried to manoeuvre the organisation to a place whereby we can start to deliver what is best for the Police Federation, its members and the British police service as a whole," Williams said. In a statement announcing his retirement, Williams said the Plebgate row, which pitted the organisation against Westminster, had contributed to confidence in the federation being "severely tested". In its wake, he commissioned a review that urged radical reform of the federation, which represents 127,000 police officers in England and Wales. Expressing frustration at the pace of those reforms, he said: "Over the last few months, despite at times some significant challenges and opposition along the way, I have tried to manoeuvre the organisation to a place whereby we can start to deliver what is best for the Police Federation, its members and the British police service as a whole.
"Having reflected on where we now are, I feel that it is only right and proper that [the federation] elects a new chairman to take this organisation into the next phase.""Having reflected on where we now are, I feel that it is only right and proper that [the federation] elects a new chairman to take this organisation into the next phase."
In a stark warning to his colleagues, he added: "I have made no secret of my fears that unless we get this right and embrace the change required, others will do it to us – a view echoed recently by the policing minister, Damian Green."In a stark warning to his colleagues, he added: "I have made no secret of my fears that unless we get this right and embrace the change required, others will do it to us – a view echoed recently by the policing minister, Damian Green."
Also departing is the general secretary, Ian Rennie. He will retire after the federation's annual conference in May. He has been the chief negotiator on pay and conditions for the last six years. Rennie will retire after the federation's annual conference in May. He has been the chief negotiator on pay and conditions for the last six years.
In a Guardian interview this year, Williams said his attempts at reform had led to some colleagues at a meeting in January branding him a "disgrace" and accusing him of betrayal. The week after the meeting his head of media, Fiona McElroy, was sacked, prompting her deputy, Chris Webb, to resign in disgust. In an email sent on Monday morning, and obtained by the Guardian, Rennie said he had decided to stand down as general secretary after learning he would face a challenge to his position.
In the email, Rennie said he favoured streamlining the federation's complex structures: "Since sharing my views with the meeting I have been informed that I will now face a challenge for the position of General Secretary and it is clear that I no longer have the support of many of my JCC colleagues."
In a Guardian interview this year, Williams said his attempts at reform had led to some colleagues at a meeting in January branding him a "disgrace" and accusing him of betrayal. The week after the meeting his head of media, Fiona McElroy, a supporter of reform, was sacked.
Home secretary Theresa May praised Williams's pursuit of reform in the face of internal opposition: "I should like to thank Steve Williams for his courage in commissioning the report and for his efforts to implement [Sir David Normington's] recommendations in the face of opposition from some within his own organisation.
"I applaud those many officers who understand that the Federation must uphold the highest standards of integrity and transparency if it is to inspire public confidence."
Keith Vaz, chair of the home affairs select committee, said: "I am amazed and surprised by the proposed retirement of two people who have been instrumental in instigating reform in the Police Federation.
"Although evidence given to the home affairs select committee so far has shown examples of bullying and inappropriate behaviour, I assumed that the leadership of the federation was united in seeking fundamental reform.
"These retirements will leave this important organisation with a huge vacuum and leaderless at a time when they need strong direction. It will remain to be seen if the federation will continue on the path of change."
On Tuesday, Normington, the author of the review into the federation, and Martyn Mordecai, the treasurer of the federation will appear before the home affairs committee.
The federation has been buffeted by revelations that it held some £35 million in accounts and allegations that its headquarters in Leatherhead, Surrey, were too lavish.
It spearheaded opposition to the Conservative-led government's attempts to reform terms and conditions for officers which followed a review by the former rail regulator Tom Winsor.