Labour MPs and the Gwent Police Federation have come together this week to write to Home Secretary Priti Patel to express their anger at the pay freeze for police officers.

The letter from the Gwent Police Federation, signed in support by the Labour MPs, calls on the Home Secretary to work with the Police Federation on a ‘new and fairer system of remuneration decision-making’ and to ‘give police officers a meaningful pay increase’.

The Police Federation, which represents police staff across England and Wales, took the extraordinary step of declaring no confidence in the Home Secretary when offered with a 0% pay rise. At the time of the pay freeze announcement, National Chair of the Police Federation John Apter said that police officers felt ‘bitterly let down’.

In a joint statement in support of Gwent police officers, the Labour MPs said: ‘We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with local police officers who kept our communities safe through the most challenging times.

Police officers were treated shamefully when offered with an insulting pay freeze, so it is no surprise that the Police Federation declared they had no confidence in the Home Secretary. It is time for the Government to change its approach and attitude to our police’