COACHLOADS of police officers from North Yorkshire joined yesterday's march in Whitehall.

Disgruntled policemen and women from around the country took part in the mass protest, demanding fairer treatment over pay. While police pay is generally quite good, the Government certainly seems to be guilty of shabby behaviour on this occasion.

At the heart of the dispute is the decision by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to go against the recommendation of an independent pay panel on last year's pay settlement. Against all previous practice, she introduced the pay rise from last month, rather than backdating it to April.

Some see Prime Minister Gordon Brown's fingerprints all over this act of governmental stinginess, which has been justified in the name of keeping inflation down. Quite why Mr Brown's Government seems so set on a clash with the police on this matter remains a mystery. The sums involved are minor, certainly in terms of antagonising virtually every police officer in the country.

Some officers are now demanding the right to strike. The pay arbitration now being ignored by the Government was meant to compensate for not being able to strike.

Officers in Scotland have already been paid the full 2.5 per cent. Without backdating, the offer to English officers amounts to 1.9 per cent, according to the Police Federation.

What a lot of annoyance the Government has stirred for relatively small savings. We believe the police have a good case. It is highly unusual for an employer to go against the advice offered during independent pay arbitration. Just what are Jacqui and Gordon playing at?