PM Says No To Meeting As UK Cops Go On The March

The Prime Minister has "no plans" to meet police representatives, even though thousands of the UK's police officers are today taking to the streets as part of a massive protest over their bitter pay rise row.

Rank and file officers are in London to show their anger at Home Secretary Jacqui Smith's refusal to backdate a 2.5% increase which effectively reduces it to 1.9%.

After the march, thousands of officers will take part in a "mass queue" outside the Houses of Parliament to lobby their MPs.

Police Federation Chairman Jan Berry will present a petition to Number 10 and later meet Ms Smith, after a rally of the 3,500 officers in Westminster.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber also sent a message of "solidarity and support" to the marching officers, who are not allowed to belong to a trade union and are banned from taking industrial action.

Mr Barber said the Government had made a "disastrous mistake".

In December, police officers from across the UK passed a vote of no confidence in the Home Secretary and agreed to ballot members about whether to seek a change in the law to allow officers to go on strike.

Officers in Scotland have received the full 2.5%, and police civilians, including community support officers, have also received a 2.5%.

Asked whether Gordon Brown had a message for the marchers, the Prime Minister's spokesman emphasised there are no plans for a face-to-face and said: "We have made our position on this very clear.

"Obviously, the Prime Minister and Home Secretary think that police officers do an excellent job, but we have had to take some tough decisions in relation to last year's pay settlement.

"We staged that settlement, as we did for a number of other settlements. That was obviously to keep inflation down, to keep inflation on target, and it enabled the Bank of England to cut interest rates."

(BMcC)