HOME Secretary Theresa May cynically used police wrongdoing scandals to mount a hard-hitting attack on the services “union” yesterday, writes Peter Lazenby.

The Tory bigwig announced plans to break the Police Federation’s “closed shop” — currently all 160,000 lower-ranked officers have to join the federation, which has vociferously opposed the government’s 20 per cent cuts to police budgets.

Ms May used the Stephen Lawrence murder and Hillsborough disaster to batter the federation.

She left the stage without applause.

Outgoing federation chairman Steve Williams received prolonged applause when he told the Home Secretary that members were “deeply concerned” that staff levels were falling close to those in the 1980s.

Speaking to the Morning Star, Mr Williams said that police numbers must be maintained.

Many police “civilian” staff functions have already been privatised.

Mr Williams said: “Many of our police staff colleagues devote their lives to a career in the police service and we question whether contractors, particularly those on zero-hours contracts, would provide the same level of commitment.”