What is really going on in politics? Get our daily email briefing straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Labour have demanded answers over the Boris Johnson's "contemptible" use of Police cadets as a backdrop for a "nakedly political" speech.

The Prime Minister gave a speech at a Police Academy in Wakefield today, with dozens of cadets standing in uniform on the stage behind him.

But instead of delivering his expected remarks to launch a boost in officer numbers, he gave a lengthy address promoting his Brexit plan, demanding an election and attacking Jeremy Corbyn .

Shadow Police Minister Louise Haigh has written to the UK's top civil servant to ask whether senior officers knew the speech would be so political in nature.

(Image: REUTERS)

In a letter to the Cabinet Office, the Labour MP wrote: "Not only was the precious time of these officers wasted, either by diverting them from their duties or depriving them of much-needed rest but through no fault of their own they were put in an intolerable position by the nakedly party-political direction the event took.

"Police regulations are clear that they are strictly non-party political and cannot give the perception of such."

She went on to ask who requested the cadets to line up behind the PM and whether senior officers were informed that Johnson would stray "beyond the police recruitment campaign" when the request was made to supply officers.

And she asked how many serving officers had rest days cancelled or were taken away from duties to attend the event.

(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

Ms Haigh wrote on Twitter : "I think this tells us everything we need to know - police officers used as props for naked electioneering after voting to cut thousands of their colleagues.

"This is contemptible."

John Apter, the National Chair of the Police Federation, said: "I am surprised that police officers were used as a backdrop for a political speech in this way.

"I am sure that on reflection all concerned will agree that this was the wrong decision and it is disappointing that the focus has been taken away from the recruitment of 20,000 officers. This is what we should be talking about. This is what is important."