Police get go-ahead to challenge pay decision

LONDON (Reuters) - Police officers were given permission to take their case against a government decision not to backdate their pay increase to the High Court on Monday.

Mr Justice Andrew Collins said he had "no hesitation" in giving the go-ahead for the test case, to be heard between April 15 and 16.

The police argue they are being short-changed by the government's refusal to backdate a pay rise of 2.5 per cent, saying it effectively means the rise will only work out at 1.9 per cent in annual terms.

Both Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Prime Minister Gordon Brown have argued the award is appropriate and is in line with inflation targets.

Up to 20,000 off-duty police officers marched on Westminster last month in the biggest police protest ever staged in Britain.

The case involves police from England, Wales and Northern Ireland who claim that since the 2.5 percent figure was agreed after a period of arbitration they had every reason to expect the increase to be backdated.

Scottish police have been told their 2.5 percent increases will be backdated to September 1.

"This is an opportunity to challenge the betrayal of the home secretary in failing to make an award in line with the police arbitration tribunal," John Francis, the general secretary of the Police Federation, said after the decision.

"The court is probably the last avenue left open to us."

(Reporting by Avril Ormsby; Editing by Luke Baker)