LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE NEW GOVERNMENT PFEW MEETS THE


Acting National Chair and co-Parliamentary lead, Tiff Lynch, co-Parliamentary lead Belinda Goodwin and John Partington, Professional Development lead hosted a meeting during the Labour Party Conference that was attended by the Home Secretary, the Policing Minister and other key PFEW stakeholders


around what she stated at the recent Superintendents’ Association Conference - that there would be no movement away from engaging with the PRRB in its current form. We set out strongly that what we are asking for is a fairer way of negotiating and this would require one form of a sit down with government to discuss all areas of pay and conditions for officers and there should be no political interference in that process. The Policing Minister said she hears us and will take this back to the cabinet.


In attendance at Liverpool were local PFEW branch officials and National Board members, including Tim Rogers, Ben Hudson, John Partington, Rick Prior, Craig Nicholls, Jamie Thompson and over 20 Labour MPs and MPs new in post. All of our PFEW representatives were able to introduce the Federation,


the work that we do and what our key messages are for the Government. A recent informal meeting brought


together Labour MPs, police and crime commissioners (PCCs), and ministers to discuss the pressing issues affecting our members and what we ask of the new Government in help addressing these issues. The meeting provided an opportunity to build relationships with new in post Labour MPs and PCCs. Key themes such as the police pay mechanism, recruitment and retention,


34 | POLICE | OCTOBER | 2024


officer welfare, and the ongoing challenges faced by police officers were discussed in detail, with an emphasis on


“Officer welfare and wellbeing emerged as a key topic of conversation, with the discussion


extending to how PCCs could potentially redirect funds, such as Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) money, towards officer wellbeing programmes.”


fostering collaboration at both local and national levels.


Below are some of the major themes that dominated the discussion.


INDUSTRIAL RIGHTS AND PAY NEGOTIATIONS One of the central topics of discussion the need for a fairer system for negotiating police pay and conditions. John Partington, National Board member and professional development lead, spoke to the Policing Minister


RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND WORKFORCE DEMANDS Another major concern raised was the difficulty surrounding recruitment and retention within the police service. Several MPs echoed the concern that policing needs to do more to attract new recruits and retain experienced officers. The changing nature of policing, coupled with the growing demands on the force, requires stronger leadership and innovative solutions, particularly in areas such as police IT infrastructure. A lack of investment in IT systems was cited as a significant barrier to making police reporting more efficient. The broader context of police demand, including workforce fatigue and stress, was also highlighted. Recent incidents of civil unrest, which required extensive mutual aid and resulted in officers working long hours and cancelling rest days, underscored the pressures officers face


daily. The burnout experienced by officers and the need for better support, including improved personal protective equipment, were also discussed.


OFFICER ASSAULTS AND SAFETY The growing trend of officer assaults, especially in the wake of operations such as Op Navette, was also raised. Daily reports of assaults on officers have reached unacceptable levels, and there was a strong consensus that more needs to be done to support and protect officers.


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