Police officers were incandescent at his cheek

Glen Smyth Metropolitan Police Federation

But the home secretary has dismissed the idea of strike action as "ridiculous".

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour programme, he said: "People want strikes against thugs and criminals not strikes against the public services."

Mr Blunkett is determined to press ahead with reform of pay and conditions despite the Police Federation's 10-1 vote against the proposals.

He has sent a letter to every chief constable and their area commanders expressing his disappointment at the ballot result.

'Bully' behaviour

Police officers are planning the mass rally at Whitehall, according to the Daily Mail.

Earlier the Metropolitan Police Federation's chairman Glen Smyth accused Mr Blunkett of being a "bully".

He said while many rank-and-file officers welcomed the proposals in the Police Reform Bill, the pay offer was unacceptable.

And he revealed the federation was drawing up plans to make a legal challenge to overturn the ban on strike action, in force since the Police Strike of 1919.

David Blunkett: Determined to press ahead with reforms

In his letter, sent after the ballot on Friday, Mr Blunkett wrote: "I am disappointed that the leaders of the federation, both nationally and locally, failed to do what they said they would do - that is recommend the package to members.

"The time has come for the official side - Acpo [Association of Chief Police Officers], the Police Authorities and the government - to ensure that rank and file officers understand what a very good deal this is for all concerned."

The proposed package would give senior officers the reforms they told the government they wanted, Mr Blunkett added.

Mr Smyth said of the letter: "He has got a hard job on his hands because all the superintendents I have spoken to don't believe the pay proposals are a good idea.

Cheaper alternative

"He tried to do this within the Metropolitan Police in the run-up to the ballots and it had completely the opposite effect to the one he desired.

"Police officers were incandescent at his cheek."

Police officers welcomed the bulk of the reforms package but objected to the pay offer, Mr Smyth said.

"He is behaving like a bully. This will only drive a wedge between the government and the police.

"This man is a bully, police officers deal with bullies on a daily basis, they don't scare us, we take them on."

Police officers may use their feet to make the decision - they'll leave the Police Service

Bob Elder Police Federation's Constables' Committee

Bob Elder, chairman of the Police Federation's Constables' Committee, said Mr Blunkett "really doesn't give a damn about the Police Service, and if he can replace it with a much cheaper alternative then he will do".

Mr Elder told GMTV's Sunday programme: "There is so much anger among the officers around the country, that they are actually saying 'we need to review this, we need to be looking at the European Court to see whether we can change our status as being a non-striking group'.

"What's been so disappointing ... is the way that the Police Service has been run down ... and that's been led by spin doctors within the home department itself."

Warning of mass resignations should the Home Secretary force through his reform package, Mr Elder added: "Police officers may use their feet to make the decision - they'll leave the Police Service.

"That's a very real fear."