Smith Gets a Good Kicking. Good.
Jacqui Smith sat stony-faced and alone as Jan Berry of the Police Federation whalloped her left, right and centre. You could almost see the dispair in her eyes. She clearly knows that the excuses she has been peddling have been stupid, and that nobody actually buys them. Stuck in a rut, she has become a figure of fun. In this case, to fantastic effect. This is the best job she will ever have, and she has wasted it by alienating everyone her department is in charge of. Was today’s performance unfair, though? Not in the slightest. Line of the day: “Home Secretary, what is it that Mr Balls has but you do not?”
I am sure when your Private Secretary reminded you of today’s event you felt like reaching for the nearest stab proof vest - and perhaps slipping into old habits and lighting up to calm your nerves… But as you have reassured us, you have moved on from these past indiscretions… Your recent crimes have been more for the serious fraud office than the drug squad!
You will say that you could not take any risks with inflation by conceding on police pay. But let me ask you this. How was it that the government found 2.7 billion pounds to dig itself out of a tax hole in advance of a by-election but couldn’t find 30 million pounds to honour our pay deal?
When teachers went on strike, the Prime Minister and the Education Secretary’s response was to say that it would be ‘irresponsible’ to over-ride the settlement recommended by their independent pay review panel. So it suited Mr Balls to defend the teachers’ panel deal but it didn’t suit you to do the same for us. Home Secretary, what is it that Mr Balls has but you do not?
Your decision not to honour the pay award was a breach of faith. It was a monumental mistake and I do not say this lightly when I say you betrayed the police service.
You can watch the exchange here. ConHome (from which I pasted the quotes…) have nice little graphics, too.
Posted in: Bad Policy, Grumpiness, The Home Office