New Home Secretary must take ‘swift action’ to tackle crisis in policing

28 September 2022

Police Federation Welsh lead Nicky Ryan has backed calls for urgent talks with the new Home Secretary, Suella Braverman.

Nicky said Ms Braverman should prioritise police pay and conditions and start to rebuild the damaged relationship between the Government and policing as soon as possible.

She said: “It is no secret that the Police Federation and the previous Home Secretary did not enjoy the most harmonious of working relationships and I think it is important that we start off on the right foot with the incoming administration.

“That is why we are calling for urgent talks so the Home Secretary can be left in no doubt of our position and the direction we believe she should be taking.

“We want to make it crystal clear that it is unacceptable that some of our members are struggling to make ends meet and in some cases are using foodbanks to make sure their families are fed.”

Nicky pointed out that police officers have suffered a real terms pay cut of 25 per cent in the last 12 years and the new Home Secretary will need to be aware of the feelings of “anger and betrayal” this has caused.

She added: “We want a strong relationship with the Government but that can only happen if our concerns are taken seriously and not ignored or rejected as they have been in the past.”

In a letter congratulating Ms Braverman on her appointment, the Federation told her it was unacceptable that police officers have seen a 25 per cent real term pay cut over the last 12 years.

It also wrote to new Prime Minister Liz Truss about the crisis in policing, drawing attention to the serious concerns over police pay and working conditions and pointing out that this year’s pay award will barely cover soaring energy costs faced by members this winter.

The Federation has also written to the Chancellor while the Home Secretary on Friday sent an open letter to police leaders.