Concerns over police pay 'deal'

I spent an afternoon replying to e-mails from serving police officers in Shrewsbury.

Almost every 20 minutes throughout the day I received an e-mail from a serving police officer highlighting their frustration and concerns over their pay settlement.

Many stated their anger and disgust at the underhanded behaviour displayed by the Home Secretary in reaction to the decision of the Police Arbitration Tribunal to award police officers a 2.5 per cent pay increase.

It appears that Jacqui Smith has performed a far from magical sleight of hand in which the 2.5 per cent will not be back dated to September 1 but instead will be paid from the December 1, thus representing an insulting 1.9 per-cent increase.

A lower award than any other emergency service or public sector body in England and Wales.

I have replied to many police officers by saying that I, too, feel angry over the Government's behaviour.

While other European governments have spent the last 10 years beavering away to grow their economies by reducing red tape and taxation on hard working business, this Labour Government has done the opposite. It has increased taxation and regulation on firms.

This, in turn, results in lower revenue for the state, as businesses large and small are rapidly leaving the country.

Until we get a government that is serious about economic growth, we will continue to have these below inflation pay awards for our vital services.

Daniel Kawczynski MP, Shrewsbury