JACQUI Smith, the Home Secretary, was yesterday accused of betraying the police over pay and was publicly mocked by them for her drug-taking past.
The politician – appearing at a police conference in Bournemouth in front of 1,000 delegates – remained stony-faced as she was berated by the leader of rank-and-file officers in England and Wales over her decision to stagger a 2.5 per cent pay award
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She also looked uncomfortable as she was ridiculed about her admission that she used cannabis in her youth.
The government was criticised for finding £2.7 billion to remedy its mistake over the 10p tax band, but not providing funds to pay police in full south of the Border. Officers in Scotland have received the full pay rise.
Jan Berry, the chair of the Police Federation, said of the government's insistence that the pay rises be staggered: "It was a monumental mistake and I don't say this lightly when I say you (Ms Smith] betrayed the police service."
Mrs Berry added: "I am sure you felt like reaching for a stab-proof vest and perhaps slipping into old habits and lighting up to calm your nerves. But, as you have reassured us, you have moved on from past indiscretions."
The row over pay peaked in January as 22,000 officers marched on Westminster. The decision not to award the to full 2.5 per cent effectively reduced the overall award to 1.9 per cent.
The full article contains 259 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
