EASTLEIGH MP and Liberal Democrat leadership contender Chris Huhne has backed the police in their pay dispute with the government.

Mr Huhne said the police had been "fairly and squarely" awarded 2.5 per cent by the police arbitration tribunal and ministers were duty bound to accept the pay rise rather than delay it.

He said: "Ministers agree to the arbitration process so that there are no damaging disputes and strikes, but that means that they have to respect the outcome even when they do not like it.

"By delaying the increase and failing to backdate it, the government is effectively cutting 2.5 per cent to 1.9 per cent.

"It is no wonder that many local police officers in the Hampshire Constabulary are angry and disenchanted by this decision.

"They deserve to be paid the right rate for what is a demanding and sometimes dangerous job."

The government has argued that staging the pay rise is essential for economic stability. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown refused to budge over the issue, saying it was better to stage rises than have them wiped out by inflation.