PFEW no longer has confidence in the Home Secretary

The Police Federation of England and Wales has said that its national council has overwhelmingly supported a vote of no confidence in the Home Secretary.

The organisation has also made a decision to withdraw its support and engagement from the Police Remuneration Review Body, labelling the current police officer pay mechanism ‘not fit for purpose’.

The announcement follows Home Secretary Priti Patel’s claim that the government ‘recognises the bravery, commitment and professionalism’ of police officers, while offering no improved financial package to our members to illustrate that is the case.

The PFEW says that there is enormous anger within policing, with officers across England and Wales saying the government takes them for granted and treats them with contempt.

John Apter, PFEW National Chair, said: “The PRRB is not truly independent, the body which is the only mechanism we have to consider any pay award for police officers, has its hands constantly tied by the Government who continually interfere. The PRRB itself recognises its lack of independence. We can no longer accept this and have no confidence in this system which is why we are walking away.

“We often hear the Home Secretary praise police officers but our members are so angry with this government. They have been on the frontline of this pandemic for 18 months and will now see other public services given pay increases while they receive nothing. At the beginning of this pandemic they endured PPE shortages and were not even prioritised for the vaccination. They continue to be politicised and this pay announcement is the final straw. As the organisation that represents more than 130,000 police officers I can say quite categorically – we have no confidence in the current Home Secretary. I cannot look my colleagues in the eye and do nothing.”