THIS\u00a0month was the Conservative Party conference in Manchester.<\/p>\n
You probably saw the scenes of angry folk who have been systematically abused by this Government gathering together outside the conference centre\u2026<\/p>\n
But that\u2019s enough about the police officers in attendance.<\/p>\n
I spent some time with the Greater Manchester Bobbies there. Stuck in the middle of facilitating a democratic conference and people’s right to protest.<\/p>\n
And doing so with good humour and professionalism.<\/p>\n
They of course face hostility from those protesters bellowing \u201cTory scum\u201d and wanting to get into the conference hall.<\/p>\n
And equally, hostility from the Tories entering the conference hall who continue to attack police budgets, having already laid assault to police officer pay, conditions and pensions.<\/p>\n
Hasn\u2019t it been fascinating this week to listen to the reaction to Home Secretary Theresa May\u2019s speech on immigration at the event?<\/p>\n
In what was widely described as a pitch for the party leadership, she declared the UK \u201cdoes not need\u201d large numbers of foreign arrivals, warning they are putting British workers out of a job and forcing down wages.<\/p>\n
Many commentators have accused her of going too far.<\/p>\n
Well nothing new there.<\/p>\n
This venomous side of the Home Secretary will come as no surprise to the country\u2019s cops.<\/p>\n
Her speech this week follows on from her attack on policing and police officers at the\u00a0May 2014\u00a0Police Federation of England and Wales conference \u2013 in what was another pitch for the Tory leadership should Scotland have been lost in the referendum that September.<\/p>\n
Mrs May\u2019s ambition knows no bounds. And she seemingly does not care who she steps on to get there.<\/p>\n
Police officers and their families, immigrants. And anyone else should she ever become Prime Minister.<\/p>\n
To hell with the evidence.<\/p>\n
No? Well the Home Office under Theresa May\u2019s command has been regularly accused of not understanding the impact of cuts to policing that it continues to make.<\/p>\n
And not just by serving police officers of all ranks.<\/p>\n
This year a cross party group of MPs on the Public Accounts Committee and the National Audit Office also voiced their fears.<\/p>\n
The National Audit Office said the Home Office “does not have the evidence to claim policing is coping adequately with the cuts”.<\/p>\n
And yet the Government continue to plough on regardless. Shortly the service could face another 25-40 per cent cut.<\/p>\n
According to reports, at the very same Conservative conference this week, Police Minister Mike Penning \u2013 who frankly is on the verge of becoming laughable \u2013 told a Policing Fringe he has “absolutely no idea” if a 40 per cent cut to policing is sustainable.<\/p>\n
What!?<\/p>\n
One of the politicians in charge of signing off\/setting these unrealistic budget cuts doesn\u2019t know if the cuts they are making are safe.<\/p>\n
Well then think again.<\/p>\n
But no. He doesn\u2019t know. He doesn\u2019t care. The Government will carry on regardless.<\/p>\n
Where is the back up? The helicopter? The dogs? The horses?<\/p>\n
Increasingly wiped out because of continued cuts to policing budgets.<\/p>\n
Police officer morale is on the floor. One is six police officers in England and Wales wants to leave the job.<\/p>\n
And now we also hear over the last 10 days that chief constables want to consider \u2013 however reluctantly \u2013 asking Mrs May for the ability to make them redundant.<\/p>\n
She will jump at the chance.<\/p>\n
Security. Stability. Opportunity, say the Tories.<\/p>\n
Practice what you preach.<\/p>\n
This column by Royston Martis (pictured) originally appeared in Police Oracle.<\/p>\n