Police right to strike faces debate

Many officers are unhappy with Mr Blunkett's reforms

Rank-and-file police officers are to debate whether they should be given the right to strike amid claims of low morale.

There has been a ban on police strikes since 1919 but the Police Federation will examine the issue at its annual conference in Bournemouth on Thursday.

I and my ministers appreciate the difficulty of the job you in the police are doing

David Blunkett
Home Secretary

The debate comes after Home Secretary David Blunkett apologised to officers at the conference for making mistakes while trying to drive through police reforms.

Mr Blunkett was accused of undermining officers' morale as anger continues over the recent pay deal.

TUC affiliation

The conference votes on Thursday on whether federation officials should look at the effects of removing the ban on police officers taking industrial action.

Delegates will also decide whether the federation should examine the consequences of affiliation to the Trades Union Congress.

Off-duty officers demonstrated over pay

Shadow home secretary Oliver Letwin will also be giving a speech to the federation on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Mr Blunkett apologised for misunderstanding the pace at which police reform could be achieved.

He said: "An enormous amount of change has been demanded and mistakes have been made.

"But I honestly believe together over the years ahead we can provide the answer to the tabloid headlines by delivering a world-class police service."

The home secretary said he wanted to cut red tape and make officers' work more rewarding.

'Undermining morale'

That effort included a new review of suspects' rights - a move which has prompted concern from civil rights' groups.

But he said he would plough ahead with his controversial plan to introduce community support officers (CSOs).

Mr Blunkett faced tough criticism from officers at the conference who say morale in the police service has hit new lows.

Immediately before his speech, Police Federation chairman Fred Broughton accused the Home Office of undermining and doing down frontline police officers.

"We believe in this police service that we do not receive the political leadership our job requires," said Mr Broughton.

Rally at Westminster

He accused the government of lying during the recent pay talks and gave a gloomy warning about the state of police morale.

"The level of feeling, the level of anger, the level of frustration, the level of bitterness in our police service has been overwhelming," said Mr Broughton.

About 10,000 off-duty officers lobbied Parliament earlier this year over the government's original pay offer.

The Police Federation has now agreed the latest offer but many of its members are still angry about the deal.

Mr Broughton also outlined the federation's opposition to the idea of giving new civilian CSOs police powers.

The home secretary won a polite reception from the conference, avoiding the slow handclaps endured by his predecessor, Jack Straw, last year.