Tom Winsor, responsible for reducing the starting wage for the Police to £19,000 pa, while at the same time increasing the entry qualifications; who decided that direct entry to the significant rank of Superintendent was a good idea as well as being able to make Police officers redundant; who increased the age at which Police officers can draw their pension; who decided that Police officers must have mandatory fitness tests, but not give them any time within work to keep their fitness levels to that standard (unlike Fire & Rescue and Ambulance HART), has decided that wearing this uniform to the National Police Memorial Day is appropriate.

Apparently this is the ‘ceremonial uniform’ of the Chief Inspector of Constabulary, which Tom Winsor now is. To me, and to many others, this is the uniform of a Chief Officer of a UK Police Force.

How dare he. How dare he believe he is in any way entitled to wear a uniform in which men and women far braver than he have died in. Men and women who gave their lives in service to this country, protecting the public, the vulnerable and the most needy of our society. How dare he have the temerity to meet the families of dead officers while wearing this uniform, look them in the eye and tell them he is sorry for their loss. Not only has he never served a single day in any police force in the country but has also destroyed the terms and conditions of officers up and down the land.

I hope Winsor looks at the families of the dead, sees the quiet dignity mixed with the total sadness in their eyes and realises he isn’t fit to wear that uniform and never does so again. It would have been far more respectful to the fallen to wear a somber suit and black tie but then that wouldn’t have given him the opportunity to play dress up.