Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, was the victim of a brutal political mugging today in full view of more than 1,000 officers in a Bournemouth conference hall.

Ms Smith stood stony-faced as she was taken to task by Jan Berry, chairwoman of the Police Federation, over the issue of police pay and accused of "betraying" rank-and-file officers.

As the two women shared the stage at the Federation's annual conference, Ms Berry also ridiculed Ms Smith for her admission that she had dabbled with cannabis in her days at Oxford. “Your recent crimes have been more for the serious fraud office than the drug squad,” she said.

Ms Berry announced yesterday 86 per cent of her members had voted to lobby for the right to strike, reflecting the deep anger in police ranks at the Home Secretary's decision to override an arbitrated wage settlement and withhold part of the 2007 police pay rise.

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The answer for Jacqui Smith was a bit of good old-fashioned political bribery

Sean O'Neill

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Today, she praised her for coming to the south coast resort to face the conference, but added: “I am sure ... you felt like reaching for a stab proof vest and perhaps slipping into old habits and lighting up to calm your nerves.”

Ms Smith at first smiled at the comments but looked on grimly as the sniping developed into a full-frontal assault.

“Your decision not to honour the pay award was a breach of faith,” said Ms Berry. “It was a monumental mistake, and I don’t say this lightly when I say you betrayed the police service."

Ms Berry went on: “How was it that the Government found £2.7 billion to dig itself out of a tax hole in advance of a by-election but couldn’t find £30 million to honour our pay deal?”

“When teachers went on strike, the Prime Minister and the Education Secretary’s response was to say that it would be 'irresponsible’ to override the settlement recommended by their independent pay review panel.

“So it suited Mr Balls to defend the teachers’ pay deal but it didn’t suit you to do the same for us. Home Secretary, what is it Mr Balls has but you do not?”

The attack earned Mrs Berry - who was making her sixth and last conference speech as chair - a standing ovation, which Ms Smith joined. The federation chairwoman had pledged that delegates would be “professional and courteous” to the politician, who was given a brief round of applause as she stood to deliver her speech.

The long-running row over pay peaked in January as more than 23,000 officers marched on Westminster, after the decision to introduce a 2.5-per cent pay rise in stages, effectively reducing the overall award to 1.9 per cent.

Yesterday’s vote was a step towards the first police strike for nearly 90 years. The police last went on strike in 1918 and 1919 in Liverpool and London, leading to the government banning officers from taking industrial action or belonging to a trade union.

In her speech, Ms Smith responded with a series of improvements to police remuneration and announcements on funding and policy. Speaking about the row over pay, she said she stood by her decision despite the anger it caused.

She said: “We all know the arguments. I know you strongly disagree with the decision. But it was one that I took only after a lot of thought - after considering the full facts of the case. The need to keep mortgages and the cost of living under control - and that includes your mortgages and your families’ cost of living as well.

“There was another crucial factor at play. Affordability, and for that read police officer numbers. I needed to ensure that you continued to have your colleagues working alongside you. All your colleagues.

“At a time when families are feeling the pinch, I know how important it is to restore stability and confidence into discussions on your pay.”

Ms Smith said any long-term deal agreed on an index created by the Arbitration Tribunal would be fully implemented. She added: “But let’s be under no illusions. Setting out on the road to strike will lead only to a dead end.”

Ms Smith told delegates that retirement lump sum payments would be recalculated, significantly increasing the amount for many officers. And she said that the partners of those killed in service should continue to receive their full pension regardless of whether they remarry.

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