WE have no argument with the Government's general policy on public sector pay restraint as a means of keeping a lid on inflation.

That kind of prudent approach served Gordon Brown well as Chancellor and was seen as one of his key strengths when he became Prime Minister.

However, the current pay dispute with the police, which saw an estimated 22,500 officers marching in protest in London yesterday, was surely an unnecessary fight to pick.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith agreed to go to arbitration as a way of reaching an agreement, but then refused to backdate a 2.5 per cent pay increase to the beginning of September, delaying it instead to December.

That smacks to us of rubbing officers' noses in it at a time when the Government needs a stronger than ever partnership with the nation's law-enforcers.

These are strange times indeed when we have the Conservative Party, in the form of Shadow Home Secretary David Davis, taking to the public stage to attack a Labour government for being too tough on public sector pay.

But Mr Davis is right, as is Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg, who has accused the Government of treating every police officer in the country in a shoddy manner.

It is our belief that the Government should abide by the recommendation of independent arbitration, for that is all the police are asking for.

Mr Brown's administration can still dig itself out of this particular hole. It can maintain its reputation for prudence - and strike a deal with police which will not be viewed as excessive.