Hain is off-key on police plans

12.00.00am GMT Mon 7th Nov 2005

Peter Hain's attempts to call the tune on police re-organisation has led the Welsh Secretary to undermine his own rush to judgement on creating a single force, says Mike German, Assembly leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats.

Mr Hain's latest statement that Gwent would retain "distinct" control over its own police if there's an all-Wales police force would lead to discordant policing in Wales according to Mr German.

He said: "Hain wants one force for the whole of Wales, but he's now confusing the issue by promising that Gwent will still have its own police board and the control that goes with it.

"Under these proposals, assuming that Gwent isn't a special case, we'd get one force going in four directions - what the public wants is the four current forces working together to tackle crime in Wales. The Government wants a Welsh Police one man band struggling to keep the beat, whilst the people of Wales want a quartet working together in harmony.

"It's the Home Office's haste on re-organising the police that is denying the people of Wales a proper say - even Chief Constables say they want more time to consider the implications. As Secretary of State, Peter Hain has two roles - to be Wales's voice in Government and the Government's voice in Wales. On the latter he's certainly doing his job but on this issue he is completely ignoring the former. The undue haste by which this process is being conducted means that a strong voice representing Wales's interests is needed; instead we have the Secretary of State repeating the Home Office line.

"This week it is expected that the Home office will give feedback on the three options presented to them by the Police Authorities in Wales. The chairs of the authorities have already admitted they are 'under pressure' because of the 'time constraints'. That is not the means to getting a considered decision that works for Wales and its police forces.

"Four police forces working closely together whilst retaining local decision making for the benefit of local people is what Wales needs. Labour's centralising plans, with Hain's hotchpotch, haven't been thought through properly, and there isn't enough time being given for that mistake to be corrected."