Police to stage protest over cuts

Rank and file police officers are to stage a protest over proposed changes to their pay and conditions.

The Police Federation, which would not confirm what its plans will involve, said it is planning to hold an event in central London on May 10.

It comes as the federation's 135,000 members across England and Wales are being balloted on whether they want the right to strike.

Along with the armed forces and prison officers, the police are banned in law from taking industrial action.

Many officers are angry with the Government in the wake of 20% budget cuts and proposals for the most wide-ranging reform of police pay and conditions in more than 30 years.

The national federation said the event would "highlight officer concerns about cuts to policing".

It has previously said the event would show "the unprecedented attack on policing by this Government and the consequences that these cuts will have for public safety".

Its Greater Manchester branch added that it would be "arranging for officers to go to London and show the world their anger at these impractical and unworkable proposals".

Tom Winsor's 18-month review of police pay and conditions signalled the end of a job for life as he called for the ban on chief constables making officers redundant to be lifted in the face of budget cuts.

Among the 121 recommendations, the report said there should be higher pay for more demanding jobs, pay linked to skills and performance rather than length of service, and an allowance for working unsocial hours, defined as outside 8am to 6pm.