Police chiefs plot to defeat Blunkett

Britain's most senior chief constables are plotting to ambush David Blunkett's police reforms.

The move is in retaliation for the Home Secretary's ultimatum warning Scotland Yard to sort out street crime or face takeover.

Sources have confirmed that Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens and Sir David Phillips, the president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, have held talks with opposition MPs hoping to orchestrate a Parliamentary defeat for Mr Blunkett's Police Reform Bill in the Lords next month.

A police source said: "David Blunkett has sent a message that he intends to play a role between chief constables and operational officers."

The conflict began when the Home Secretary warned he was prepared to intervene in cases of police "incompetence and incapability".

Met Commissioner Sir John Stevens has authorised some of his senior officers to brief the media in response. He also used a public lecture on Wednesday night to call the criminal justice system "appalling".

Both Sir John and Sir David Phillips would have backed a clause in the Bill if it had said the Home Secretary would have the power in extreme circumstances to sack incompetent senior officers. But they believed such a power would be used as a measure of last resort.

Clause five of the Bill gives the Home Secretary power to set performance targets. And clause seven gives Mr Blunkett power to require every police force "to adopt particular operational procedures".

The police chiefs held meetings on Monday with Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Simon Hughes, Lib Dem MP Norman Baker, and Lib Dem peer Baroness Harris.

Mr Hughes said: "The Home Secretary will need to make a decision as to whether he wants to lose the whole Bill over these powers."

Sir John has told of his "good working relationship" with Tory shadow Home Secretary Oliver Letwin, who has also gone public to oppose the police reforms.

Details of the moves against the Home Office plans emerged as rankand-file police officers prepared for a major show of anti-Government feeling with a march through Westminster next Wednesday.