Callaghan threatened resignation
Official documents show James Callaghan threatened to step down as PM rather than give in to possible police strike
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Friday, 28, Dec 2007 12:31
James Callaghan said he would step down as prime minister rather than allow a possible police strike, official records released today have revealed.
The then prime minister Mr Callaghan faced a similar stand-off to that experienced by current home secretary Jacqui Smith, with the 1977 Labour government fearful that militant members of the Police Federation might break the law banning industrial action.
In National Archives documents made public today, then home secretary Mervyn Rees issued the prime minister with a warning that a police strike could cripple the government - much as the Heath administration was affected by the miners' strike.
A strike was a possibility after ministers imposed a five per cent annual pay increase, markedly below the then inflation rate of 15 per cent.
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