Dyfed Powys Police Federation secretary Roger Webb has rejected comments by Home Secretary Suella Braverman that policing is “woke” and “politically correct”.

Roger said Ms Braverman’s remarks aimed to distract from the “devastating ongoing impact of austerity” and the loss of thousands of police officers.

He was responding to a speech by Ms Braverman at the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) and National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Partnership Summit in which the Home Secretary praised Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Stephen Watson, saying “he rejects woke policing and embraced a back to basics approach”.

Ms Braverman said: “Our police officers’ time is precious, and the public want the police to be tackling crime, not debating genders on Twitter.”

She added: “The way to ensure public confidence in the police is to focus on getting the basics right. What I call common sense policing. The kind of policing the law-abiding patriotic majority deserves and expects.

“No politically correct distractions, just good old-fashioned policing – with a relentless focus on making our streets, homes, and transport networks safer.”

Roger said: “Of course we’re committed to making our streets, homes and transport networks safer but it’s not because of any so-called distractions that we’re operating with one arm tied behind our backs.

“A decade of austerity and the loss of thousands of officers have consequences, and the Home Secretary’s remarks, as well as being unhelpful and divisive, are an attempt to distract from that.

“And now we’re struggling to attract and retain officers because of the poor pay and conditions. We need the time, investment and resources to be able to do our jobs properly.

“And doing our jobs also means working with people in the various communities of Dyfed Powys. We’ve always done that and we’ll continue to do that.

“Ensuring that everyone feels the police are there for them is what I’d call good old-fashioned common sense policing.

“It helps build trust in us, to ensure we’re properly represented in the Force and that people will feel confident and able to come forward with help and information.”

Read Ms Braverman’s speech in full.