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Theresa May at the Police Federation

28 replies

longfingernails · 22/05/2014 00:32

One of the best speeches (and some of the most interesting policies) by a Home Secretary in a long time. The Police Federation (and the police more generally) need to be brought to heel; finally there is someone who seems to have the guts to do it.

I think she now has to be firm favourite for next Tory leader.

OP posts:
MrsCakesPremonition · 22/05/2014 00:39

I'm sure that BBC R4 news said "Teresa May mauled the Police Federation", which would have been very appropriate Grin, but I suspect that they actually said "called" for them to buck their ideas up.

Redglitter · 22/05/2014 01:07

Funnily enough most of my police friends on fb appear to think the opposite

hackmum · 22/05/2014 08:04

Never thought I'd say Well done, Teresa May, but - well done, Teresa May! Would have been good to see a Labour home secretary having the guts to take on the police federation.

doziedoozie · 22/05/2014 08:08

She was going on about Hillsborough, Stephen Lawrence etc - most of the police were prob in nappies at the time of Hillsborough, shame to keep churning this out.

I think this was her opportunity to come over as forceful and decisive with wide media coverage (though they have been in power for years and she has done nothing but cut police pay, pension, benefits etc) and her first major speech in an attempt to become next Cons PM.

I don't know, are the police all corrupt? all the nurses uncaring? all the schools underperforming? as the Gov keep telling us? Hopefully others won't be as taken in as the OP and keep an open mind. I feel sorry for the police, nurses and teachers, cut backs have made their jobs so much harder.

noddyholder · 22/05/2014 08:09

She has gone up hugely in my estimation the police have needed this. Plus she wears leopard print stilettos to kick their arse with

2cats2many · 22/05/2014 08:16

Sorry, but that speech was more to do with her desire to be leader of the Tory party than anything to do with Police reform.

I expect it will backfire on her.

noddyholder · 22/05/2014 08:17

Why can't it be both? The police have needed this for a long time and the Tories def need a new leader

doziedoozie · 22/05/2014 08:24

But using police bashing solely as a way to get on the front page to promote her career is a bit unedifying.

(former Cons voter, just had enough of them, rather they were honest we are cutting costs, rather than education is bad, police are corrupt etc)

Onesleeptillwembley · 22/05/2014 08:26

Funnily enough, exh popped over last night with something for youngest son. He thoroughly agrees with her stance on this, (middle ranking Police Officer), quite a few seem to, but the culture of the Federation was such that nothing could be said or done.

noddyholder · 22/05/2014 08:29

I loathe the Tories but do admire her stance and I have several police in family and they have the untouchable vibe so am v pleased

noddyholder · 22/05/2014 08:29

One sleep that is good to hear

AnneElliott · 22/05/2014 08:33

It was really interesting. Did anyone see the interview afterwards with some members who said they felt verbally abused?

I spoke to one of my colleagues about this ( a police officer). He said there were 2 types of cops; ones who had been punched by a shoplifter and those that hadn't. He thought the ones who felt verbally abused fell into the latter catorgery.

There are quite a few police who do have the same views about the Fed, but did not feel able to say so, due to the culture etc.

Onesleeptillwembley · 22/05/2014 08:34

He's my ex, Noddy, I don't particularly like him, he can be a complete knob, and unpleasant, but I will not ever fault him on his professionalism and more so on his ethics. He is one of the good guys in the Police, there are more now than ever.

noddyholder · 22/05/2014 08:40

I think the good ones need to be applauded I have met some horrors at family parties etc all high ranking.

ohmymimi · 22/05/2014 11:23

I actually gave her a short burst of applause. While I'm sure there was an element of payback and half an eye on the Leadership, she was, for once, spot-on. I've never been a fan of hers, but I give her credit for this long overdue due stance.

eddiemairswife · 22/05/2014 19:21

I'm not a Tory voter and no fan of Theresa May, but I thought that was one of the best speeches that this Government has made. No political jargon and spoken with clarity and feeling. It is so refreshing to see a grown-up politician at work instead of the little boys we usually have to put up with.

emotionsecho · 22/05/2014 19:44

I think this "mauling" of the Police Federation by a Home Secretary is long overdue. The behaviour of the Police Federation over the past decade has become progressively worse, culminating in appalling antics at their conference towards Home Secretaries of all political colours. The Police Federation have spectacularly managed to erode public trust and respect for the Police Officers they claim to represent, an own goal of truly magnificent proportions.

The antics and behaviour of the Police Federation over the Andrew Mitchell affair was an all time low, the appearance of the West Midlands Federation Officers in front of the Parliamentary Committee was an absolute embarrassment to the Police Service as a whole. As for the wearing of "PC Pleb and Proud" T-shirts, words fail me.

The secret accounts and questionable use of funds is even worse, and it is absolutely right that these matters are investigated thoroughly and that the Federation is opened up to public scrutiny. I have zero sympathy for the Federation's discomfort and upset, they have brought it all on themselves, you reap what you sow.

EffectiveCommunication · 22/05/2014 19:46

What did people do for law and order three hundred years ago, before the police were invented?

emotionsecho · 22/05/2014 19:56

Effective I think they sorted it out themselves or hired vigilante gangs to exact retribution on their behalf. One of the founding tenents of the Police Service is to police by public consent, and the publc give up the right to bear arms or mete out their own form of summary justice.

Way back in time there were ecclesiatical courts which dealt with clergy who misbehaved, but these were notoriously corrupt and the resulting row about bringing them in line led to the murder of Thomas a Beckett.

Other local courts, town magistrates etc., dealt with everyone else if they weren't dealt with before they ever made it there!!

RoxyRobin · 22/05/2014 20:44

I remember Chris Mullin, whom I regard as one of the good guys in politics, falling foul of the Police Federation when he was Chairman of the Home Affairs Committee. He'd made the not unreasonable observation that police disciplinary and complaints procedures were being subverted by a minority of dishonest officers - whereupon the wrath of the Federation descended on his head.

They got on to the Home Secretary and the Shadow Home Secretary demanding that they denounce him, before ringing round each of his fellow committee members, demanding that they disassociate themselves from his comments. He remarked, "The Federation has a long track record of intimidating ministers, journalists, and anyone else who gets in its way."

I have absolutely no doubt that Theresa May regards this as an astute political move, but I'm glad to see the Police Federation being tackled.

emotionsecho · 22/05/2014 21:12

Roxy the list of people bullied and initimidated by the Poilce Federation is long and diverse, which is why I find it wryly amusing that they are feeling bullied by Theresa May.

EffectiveCommunication · 22/05/2014 23:00

In the scheme of things then we are still in a learning curve with our police service. Lets hope things get sorted, there are a lot of improvements to be made. Stephen Lawrence, NOTW hacking, Hillsborough and plebgate taught us that.

emotionsecho · 22/05/2014 23:55

Effective the "first" police force was the Bow Street Runners set up in 1749 by Henry Fielding, the model of the police as we know it was set up in 1829 by Robert Peel. I would have thought we could be out of the learning curve by now!

There certainly are a lot of improvements to be made, the police need to change and adapt to the world as it changes. The Police Federation are viewed with a mixture of contempt and distrust by a number of rank and file officers, perhaps that is why they were not happy with the implementation of members having to opt-in rather than automatically be members.

If the Federation are the "face" of their members they are not doing those members much of a favour at the moment. The Federation need to be a positive force for good and drive the much needed changes in policing in the 21st century, but before they do that they have to change and become open to public scrutiny.

emotionsecho · 22/05/2014 23:57

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) also needs reforming and opening up to public scrutiny.

careeristbitchnigel · 26/05/2014 00:21

Apart from the decent life cover/travel insurance and legal cover if you end up in the shit (for which we are fucking thankful at the moment) fed are useless. It needs an overhaul
teresa may, otoh, should wind her neck in. Why keep on and on about stuff that happened many years ago when the culture of society, not just the police, was completely different.

I was 17 when stephen lawrence was murdered. So why use that case as a stick to bash me with ?