The Winsor proposals are a step in the right direction for policing: that is the view of the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. The opinion was offered during an appearance before the Commons Home Affairs Committee, as part of a six-month review of progress.

However, as reported in the weekly newsletter of the Police Oracle, Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe accepted that colleagues might not agree with his views on the report.

He said the Winsor proposals would reward deserving officers, with promotions being based on skill rather than longevity of service.

“The fact that we are going to reward salary by skills and endeavour – not by 14 years or 16 years service – will change the mindset,” he is reported as stating.

But he added that there still needed to be negotiation across the range of proposals to make them fairer – including the wage reduction if an officer fails a fitness test. He pointed out that if an officer was found to be unfit and took an eight per cent pay cut, this could have further repercussions if he or she was set to retire. 

But he added: “Overall I have support for officers keeping themselves fit and motivated through salary and terms and conditions.”

Tom Winsor’s second report into police pay and conditions is exercising the police side of the legal system in much the same way as LASPO is causing dismay among lawyers and expert witnesses, with its emphasis on reducing funding – although the same publication reported that the savings could lead to the ending of the recruitment freeze.