The Government has just announced a lifting of the pay cap on Police officers after seven years of brutal cuts. Unfortunately the proposed pay rise of 2% is still well below inflation, running at nearly 3%. While we’ve determined the average officer has lost almost £6,000 since 2010, the Government is proposing yet further pay cuts for our vital public services. The change doesn’t apply for all public sector workers – and teachers and nurses need a pay rise too.

In addition, the Government have announced this rise without any indication that it will be funded properly. Without funding, the increase is robbing Peter to pay Paul – raising Police pay will only be able to come from an already threadbare budget struggling to keep officers on the street.

With morale at record lows and forces across the country facing a funding crisis, it’s disappointing the Government can’t seem to do better than this.