Priti Patel: Tory home secretary blocked police federation on Twitter ‘because officers warned about cuts’

Priti Patel blocked a Twitter account representing police officers after they wrote about the consequences of budget cuts.

The Essex Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, appealed for the Witham MP to lift the block after she was appointed home secretary.

Boris Johnson has charged Ms Patel with heading a new board that will oversee the recruitment of 20,000 police officers, following the loss of almost 22,000 since 2010.

“We hope she has more engagement with the national Police Federation than she chose to have with us in her local Essex branch,” said Essex Police Federation chair Steve Taylor.

“It is a matter of record that she blocked our Twitter account some years ago – and refused to engage with us – for having the temerity to point out the folly and consequences of drastic cuts to policing.

“Cuts which her boss the prime minister vowed to reverse today in his first day in office.”

The branch appears to have been blocked during a #CutsHaveConsequences social media campaign in June 2015.

Only two tweets from the Essex Police Federation to Ms Patel are online. Both were in reply to a post where the MP raised concern about crime in Witham.

“Isn’t crime down? Police numbers are,” one read.

The other said that the number of police officers in Essex had fallen by 155 in a year, as numbers plummeted nationally.

The Essex Police Federation’s account remained blocked on Friday evening but the ban was lifted on Saturday morning amid a barrage of criticism.

“We look forward to a more constructive relationship, working with the government on increasing our police numbers, and a meeting between the home secretary and Essex Police Federation in due course,” Mr Taylor said. “Hopefully this is a start of a new positive relationship.”

Representatives of Ms Patel have not responded to The Independent’s request for comment.

But in a tweet to the Essex Police Federation, Ms Patel wrote: “I look forward to working together especially on our new and exciting drive to increase police numbers and support police officers in their incredible work.”

Labour’s shadow policing minister, Louise Haigh, was among those calling for Ms Patel to reverse the ban.

“Hi @patel4witham as new Home Secretary, perhaps you’d like to unblock your local police federation @EssexPoliceFed?” she wrote on Thursday.

John Apter, national chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, had called on Ms Patel to review the decision, saying it was “wrong and needs to be corrected”.

Sajid Javid, now chancellor, won support as home secretary from police officers for admitting they needed more resources, and for increasing central government funding and launching a national review that exposed struggles on the front line.

His stewardship followed a combative relationship between the Police Federation and Theresa May, who accused officers of “crying wolf” over the impact of cuts in 2015 and denied a link to rising violence.

Mr Javid broke ranks by admitting police officers needed more resources in early 2018, and was first to make the pledge to recruit 20,000 in his Conservative leadership campaign.

Mr Johnson then took on the pledge and has made the recruitment drive a flagship policy of his premiership.

But on Friday the new policing minister admitted there were “logistical challenges” in meeting the target within three years, amid concerns there are not enough police stations, instructors or suitable candidates.

Kit Malthouse said he did not know how much the initiative would cost or where the money would come from, adding that increasing the number of officers would not be a “silver bullet” for increasingly complex crimes.