“Shocked, surprised and very upset by attack on officers”

THE chairman of Lancashire Police Federation has urged members to “stick together” following a “shocking” speech from Home Secretary Theresa May.

Rachel Baines has said she was left “shocked, surprised and very upset” by Mrs May’s speech to the Federation conference, in which she told officers: “Make no mistake… If you do not change of your own accord we will impose change on you.”

Ms Baines described the speech as an “attack” on police officers. “Members need to do what they can in terms of whether they vote for this current government or not,” she said. “I really don’t think now is the time for people to be pulling out of the Federation. We have got to stick together and try to fight this government together.”

Ms Baines said the Home Secretary did nothing in her speech to recognise the brave officers and the daily duties that police officers carry out. She said that it is clear that building bridges between the government and the Federation has not worked and that the government does not like the power held by the Federation.

“A lot of it seems to be about money,” said Ms Baines. “I think the less money we have in the bank, the less powerful we are, and I think that is one of the reasons why she has made some of the recommendations she has done today.”

Mrs May announced that public funding to pay for the salaries and expenses of the chairman, general secretary and treasurer would be stopped from August and officers would have to opt in to join the Federation.

The government’s move to make Federation’s subject to Freedom of Information requests was not a problem, said Ms Baines. “We are open and honest with our members and the public anyway. But certainly I think the government doesn’t want us to have the money in the bank to fight them.”

The chairman added that the Home Secretary had not given a clear response on compulsory severance. “To me, rightly or wrongly, that is a message that it is still clearly on the table,” said Ms Baines.