MPs voice support for Federation’s Time Limits campaign

12 December 2022

Nicky Ryan, the Federation Welsh lead, and Christina Rees, Independent MP for Neath.

Welsh MPs expressed support for the Federation’s Time Limits campaign during a gathering at the House of Commons on Wednesday.

David Jones MP told the Federation’s Welsh lead, Nicky Ryan, that the campaign had a particular resonance for him as he has known police officers who were suspended from duty in his Clwyd West constituency.

The campaign highlights the unfairness of open-ended misconduct investigations which have a massive impact on the mental wellbeing of officers and their families, and in the case of unnecessarily lengthy suspensions, deprives the public of their services.

Nicky said: “The event at Westminster was superbly well-attended with more than 50 MPs, Police and Crime Commissioners and their researchers present. Police pay was raised with all MPs, including our loss of confidence in the independence of the Police Remuneration Review Body, and the issues that our colleagues potentially face with the cost of living, as well as society’s expectation that the police service can pick up the gaps left by other striking public sectors.

“All were really interested in our #MedalsForHeroes campaign to establish an Elizabeth Emblem posthumous medal for fallen officers, and you could see the impact that Bryn Hughes had as he described the devastating impact the murder of his daughter, PC Nicola Hughes, a decade ago continues to have on his family.

“It’s important that we build on the connections we’ve made and work with Parliamentarians and others to achieve positive changes for police officers.”

Nicky also talked about devolution of justice and the fact that Federation is neutral in this area while taking a stance that changes must prioritise service over structure.

She met with Welsh MPs Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney), Craig Williams (Montgomeryshire), Mark Tami (Alyn and Deeside) and Christina Rees who represents Neath. Nicky’s cross-party talks also included former policing minister Tom Pursglove (Corby) and Staffordshire MP Jo Gideon.

The event was opened by the Police Federation of England and Wales deputy chair Tiff Lynch who is also the staff association’s Parliamentary lead.

She told MPs: “We won’t leave here today without an ask: for you to spread the word among your colleagues and recognise the unique position police hold, as they continue to hold the thin blue line and service our communities 365 days a year.

“We are entering the Christmas period and it is going to be incredibly busy. Our officers are out there working extremely hard, and they are tired.

“The thin blue line is broken, and without sufficient investment in policing, officers will not be able to keep up with new technology innovations criminals use, will not be able to stretch resources to attend all crimes and, ultimately, will not be to keep our communities safe from the rise in violent crime.”

During the event, which was sponsored by Bexley and Sidcup MP Louie French, Federation representatives spoke to MPs including shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, Tom Pursglove, Minister of State at the Department for Work and Pensions, former Home Secretary Priti Patel and former policing minister Kit Malthouse.

Other guests included members of the House of Lords and police and crime commissioners and discussions focussed on the pressures faced by police officers, the lack of investment in policing and the need for fair pay, conditions and recognition.

In addition to #MedalsforHeroes and #TimeLimits, other Federation campaigns championed at the event were:

#FairPayForPolice – calling for alternative to the unjust police pay review mechanism that has impacted officers for years and been the source of disputes with successive governments. The Federation is calling for a pay rise to cover the cost of living crisis which ties into the Early Day Motion 547 tabled by Emma Lewell-Buck MP.

#SimplifyDG6 – changes to the Crown Prosecution Service guidance on disclosure has impeded justice and has seen victims of various crimes withdraw from active participation due to officers having to find at least an extra four hours to spend on redacting case material at the pre-charge stage. The Federation is lobbying the Government for amendments to the General Data Protection Regulation, Data Protection Act 2018 and the disclosure guidance itself to rectify the damaging and time-consuming problems the current legislation creates.

Reflecting on the event, Tiff added: “It has been a great success and we have a number of MPs willing to support us in the House of Commons moving forward. We will not stop here, and we will continue engaging with MPs.”