SUB-COMMITTEES
THE POWER OF PERSUASION
In the latest in our series looking at the work of the Federation, STEVE BAX meets with the Chair and Secretary of the PFEW Parliamentary Sub-Committee to find out about their work and successes on behalf of members
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f you have ever wondered why the Police Federation of England and Wales invests time and energy in engaging with Members of Parliament look no further than the upcoming Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. While the name may seem a bit of a mouthful, it is an incredibly significant piece of legislation for police officers. Its provisions include a doubling to two years of the maximum sentence for persons convicted of assaulting emergency workers, Special Constables able to join the Police Federation, as well as added protection for police drivers from prosecution and a Police Covenant which commits society to support those who run towards danger on behalf of the public. The new bill is the result of several years of hard work by PFEW’s Parliamentary Sub Committee (PSC) in engaging and meeting with MPs. The committee is comprised of PFEW National Board members and chairs or representatives of the eight regions. It meets quarterly under the chairmanship of our National Vice Chair, Ché Donald. “The PSC seeks to influence legislative and policy changes which support the strategic aims and objectives
of PFEW,” explains Ché. “A good example is our Protect the Protectors campaign. We worked with supportive MPs from both of the main parties to make the case in Parliament for tougher sentences to deter attacks on the emergency services. As a result, we were able to make assaulting an emergency worker an aggravated offence. And this upcoming bill enhances this.”
Tim Rogers, who leads for the
committee on roads policing and pursuits, joined forces with Sir Henry Bellingham (then an MP and now a peer) to put police driver protections on the agenda. Currently, an officer can be prosecuted for driving outside of the norms of the average motorist, and this has led to the government agreeing to make provisions in its upcoming bill to address this long- standing unfairness with a new driving standard for police. Tiff Lynch, Secretary of PSC adds:
“To achieve any legislative change you need to persuade an MP to vote for it. So, it’s vital that the Federation has those conversations with MPs to inform, educate and to influence them. We do this on a cross-party basis.” PSC works on behalf of all 43
Police Federations of England and
Ché and Tiff with MP Alex Norris
Wales to engage with legislators, not only at Westminster but at the Welsh Assembly in Cardiff too. The committee has launched its 573 campaign this year, setting the ambitious goal of meeting all 573 English and Welsh MPs by the end of this year, either virtually or face-to-face. Research from Cicero/AMO who assist the work of PSC, has found that most MPs do not regularly meet with their local Federation or receive information. This is something that committee is keen to change. “If MPs are not hearing from us, it is unlikely that our members’ concerns will be at the forefront of their thinking,” says Ché. Many of PSC’s campaign successes – from the assault legislation to police
PFEW’s Tiff Lynch, Ché Donald, Gwent Federation Chair Steve Thorpe, and Tom Wilkins from Cicero AMO, meet Newport West MP Ruth Jones
26 | POLICE | APRIL 2021
Protect the Protectors campaign
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