BLUNKETT TO CEDE MORE GROUND OVER POLICE REFORMS

The home secretary, David Blunkett, is to make further concessions on his
much-heralded reform of the police, it was reported today.

Powers giving the home secretary the right to issue action plans to
"failing" police forces and suspend chief police officers will be modified,
according to a leaked protocol in today's Times.

It will be the most recent of a string of concessions Mr Blunkett will have
given ground on, having already backed away from a sickness and overtime
clampdown following protests from the Police Federation, which lobbies for
rank-and-file officers.

And it heralds a tricky week for Mr Blunkett, who is also expected to
formally announce the reclassification of cannabis to a class C drug on
Wednesday.

Although the original decision to demote cannabis was announced at a home
affairs select committee last year, Mr Blunkett is reported to be sugaring
the pill of the formal announcement by doubling the maximum jail sentence
for dealing cannabis to 10 years - despite protests from drugs charities
that the simultaneous changes send out confused messages.

And crime figures to be published on Friday are expected to show a 6% rise
in reported crime for 2001-02, with increases in street robbery, violence
and burglary.

The police reform bill, which continues its controversial passage through
the Commons on Tuesday, is the latest battle between central government and
the police for control over Britain's law enforcement.

Traditionally the police operate outside of centralised government control.
There is no national police force, with only the police forces themselves
able to sack their chief contstable on grounds of ineffectiveness or
inefficiency.

Mr Blunkett intends to give himself the power to suspend or sack chief
constables on ground of public confidence.

Although that power is not set out in the bill itself, it is included in a
protocol. A home office spokesman said today: "There is more work that
needs to be done in terms of the protocol."

The spokesman insisted Mr Blunkett was determined to maintain the principle
that the home secretary would have the right to intervene in failing forces.

She said: "We are happy to find a different route to the same outcome.

"We are not prepared to dilute the principle that the home secretary has
the power to intervene in failing areas."