ILLEGAL strike action is threatened by Hampshire police officers if Government plans to cut their overtime get the go-ahead.

The proposed police reforms, set out by Home Secretary David Blunkett, will also lead to hundreds of policemen quitting the force and will make it even harder to attract new recruits, Sergeant Keith Ward, a Basingstoke policeman and the vice-chairman of Hampshire Police Federation, told The Basingstoke Extra this week.

"These are the most draconian and stringent proposals I've heard in my 25 years as a policeman," he said.

"It's all designed to save money - there's no other reason for it."

Sgt Ward admitted there was such strong opposition against the proposal that officers were considering strike action, even though it is a criminal offence for the police to strike.

"There's real anger. Policemen are saying 'I don't care if they send me to prison, let's strike'" he said.

"I think if these proposals are introduced, or most of them, a lot of policemen will leave."

Blunkett is calling for an agreement in principle to be made to the proposals by the end of the December, which include expecting staff to work an extra half-hour each day for no extra money.

Until now, if workers were given less than eight days' notice to work on one of their rest days, they were able to claim it as overtime.

Now the number of days has been reduced to five with only a flat rate of pay offered.

Sgt Ward added: "He's really using bully-boy tactics - do as I want and if you don't, I'll do it anyway.

"I can't see anything designed that will bring more policemen in."

The changes are expected to be phased in with police regulations being replaced with a legally enforceable agreement.

If the proposals are not accepted, Blunkett is set to introduce primary legislation.