40 coaches to join police pay demo
Around 1,700 West Midlands Police officers will descend on London this week to protest against the Government's "betrayal" over pay. Around 1,700 West Midlands Police officers will descend on London this week to protest against the Government's "betrayal" over pay. More than 40 coaches will transport the bobbies to the capital, where they will join up to 15,000 colleagues from across England and Wales, including more than 300 from Staffordshire Police. Wednesday's march in Westminster has been organised by the Police Federation, which has accused Home Secretary Jacqui Smith of betraying officers and called for her resignation. The Federation, which represents 140,000 officers, is furious that a 2.5 per cent pay award announced last year is not being backdated to September. They say that by only backdating the deal to December 1, the deal is worth just 1.9 per cent – below the Government's two per cent blanket pay policy for public sector workers. Officers say the move means an entry-level police constable will lose £131 and a sergeant £206. Read the full story in the Express & Star.