Police officers have voted overwhelmingly for the right to strike.
Members of the Police Federation voted by 86% to 11% in favour of the body, which represents rank and file officers, pushing for a change in the law to allow them to take industrial action.
Officers are furious that the government ignored the recommendations of an independent pay arbitration body and offered them only a 1.9% pay rise last year.
The results of the poll were announced yesterday as the Federation kicked off its annual conference in Bournemouth.
Federation chairman Jan Berry said officers would much prefer binding arbitration rather than the right to strike.
But she added: “This is a wake-up call for the government. They must listen to what the police officers of England and Wales are telling them.”
