Police back changes to strike laws

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The Police Federation of England and Wales said 86% of its members want to lobby for the same industrial rights as other workers if the Government is not bound to honour arbitrated pay deals.

Federation chairman Jan Berry said: "This is a wake-up call for the Government, and one to which they should listen. I do not see this as a vote for the right to strike - yet.

"This to me says that police officers want binding independent arbitration."

The result was greeted with enthusiastic applause by delegates at the federation's annual conference in Bournemouth.

Mrs Berry, who steps down on Thursday after six years in the job, added that it would be for the Federation's next set of officials to decide the next steps.

Turnout in England and Wales was 60,600 votes, or 43%. A separate, informal survey of 9,000 members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland found 90% were in favour of full industrial rights.

The Ipsos Mori poll follows a bitter row over pay and raises the spectre of walkouts by police if, in the future, they succeed in changing the law.

More than 20,000 officers marched on Westminster in January over Home Secretary Jacqui Smith's decision to introduce a 2.5% pay rise in stages, effectively reducing the overall award to 1.9%.

The results will pile pressure on Ms Smith, who is expected to receive a frosty reception when she addresses the conference on Wednesday.