A chief constable described the Home Secretary as “mean” and another accused the Government of being “shabby and dishonourable” yesterday as the stand-off over police pay showed no sign of abating.

Michael Fuller, the Chief Constable of Kent, said that his officers felt cheated by Jacqui Smith’s decision to stage a 2.5 per cent pay deal when they had met targets, cut crime and increased detection rates.

Mr Fuller told BBC Radio Kent: “We will be in for a long haul, which will be a shame because my officers have worked hard. I think it’s certainly mean and our officers feel cheated.”

Richard Brunstrom, head of North Wales Police, said that his force might try to go it alone and pay officers the disputed cash. He claimed the Government did not really value officers despite its words “and is no longer a partner to be trusted in negotiations”.

The Metropolitan Police Federation, the UK’s largest police federation, declared that its officers were “at war” with the Government. There has also been an unprecedented call by police leaders for Ms Smith to resign.

The Government faces a ballot in which all officers in Britain will be asked whether they want the right to strike. Ms Smith has refused to back down in the row and Gordon Brown has mounted a staunch defence of the staged pay deal, emphasising that it was necessary to restrain inflation.

The ballot on possible strike action is likely to take place in the first three months of next year. Scottish officers have been awarded the full 2.5 per cent by the Scottish Executive, but they have stood shoulder to shoulder with colleagues south of the Border. Protest rallies are due to take place in London and Redditch, the Home Secretary’s constituency, in coming weeks to increase pressure on her and the Government.

Mr Brunstrom said that the Government’s refusal to accept the result of arbitration was a matter of honour, not just money. “The Government’s refusal is legal, but it is a shabby and dishonourable act,” he said.

Meanwhile, the assistant chief constable of North Wales, Ian Shannon, wrote on his blog yesterday: “This act has caused officers to feel undervalued in a way I have not seen in 26 years of service. I will not say more here, as intemperate language is not appropriate and would be out of character.”

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