The Police Federation has said it has no confidence in the Home Secretary Priti Patel amid a row over their pay.
It comes after the government said pay for officers earning over £24,000 would be frozen this year, amid Covid pressures.
The Police Federation said it amounts to a real-terms cut and is an “insult”.
However, the Home Office claimed Ms Patel has demonstrated her commitment to police “time and time again”.
She has given them “the resources and powers they need to fight crime and protect the public”, a spokesperson added.
The Police Federation, which represents more than 130,000 rank-and-file police officers, has said it would be withdrawing its support from the body that reviews police pay.
John Apter, the federation’s national chairman, said members are “so angry” with the government after working for 18 months on the front line of the pandemic, and seeing other public services receive pay increases while they get no such offer.
Mr Apter said the federation has “tried its level best” to work with the government, but said: “They cannot be trusted or taken at face value in the way we would expect.”
The Home Office spokesperson said: “We are recruiting 20,000 extra officers, 8,771 already in place, increased taxpayer funding for policing by up to £600m and gave forces £200m to meet unforeseen costs of the pandemic.
“This is in addition to enhancing protection of the police, increasing sentencing for assaulting officers and investment in equipment.
“The economy has been significantly impacted by the pandemic, with pressures on public finances and we must protect jobs and ensure fairness.”
Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
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