Police rebel against Blair government plans

All police authorities in England and Wales rebelled against Home Secretary Charles Clarke and refused to submit full plans for controversial police force mergers.

Association of Police Authorities chairman Bob Jones accused Mr Clarke of seeking to "divide and rule" leaders of the 43 forces.

No police authority had submitted a full business case in time for today's Home Office deadline, despite Mr Clarke's offer of financial incentives to agree on creating as few as 12 "strategic forces", he said.

Mr Jones said: "Police authorities have unanimously rejected the Home Secretary's plans to force these proposals through with indecent haste, and we believe there are also credible alternative options which should be considered very seriously.

"No police authorities have submitted full business cases to the Home Office.

"Charles Clarke's offer of financial inducements to police authorities that agree before Christmas to voluntary mergers was an attempt to divide and rule and it discriminated against those police authorities who believe this complex matter should not be rushed."

He added: "We are keen for further talks with the Home Secretary, aimed at ensuring financial support is available to all police authorities able to show their preferred option will enhance policing.

"We are also urgently seeking to establish that the costs of restructuring will not fall on council taxpayers."

The APA launched a major rebellion over the plans last week, accusing Mr Clarke of trying to "bribe" forces into submission.

The organisation estimated mergers would cost £600 million to enforce.