Amid mounting anger over this year's pay deal, police in England and Wales are set to be balloted over a potential change in the law allowing them to strike.

Reports suggested on Monday that officers were considering taking unofficial industrial action in protest at the government's decision to cut their annual pay award.

It is currently illegal for police to take industrial action, but the 140,000 members of the Police Federation could vote to re-negotiate their working rights.

Home secretary Jacqui Smith announced that while she would accept the 2.5 per cent pay rise recommended by the Police Arbitration Tribunal, she would not backdate it to September 1, when it was due.

Instead, she would implement it from December 1, and officers pointed out that this cuts the pay rise to below inflation, at 1.9 per cent.

Police Federation chairman Jan Berry said: "I think we are definitely going to have to ballot people.

"There is so much anger and frustration out there at the moment. People who once would have sat back are now saying 'enough is enough'."

She said the Federation would be asking officers if they wanted full industrial rights or access to a pay resolution system.

"I don't know how many police officers want to go on strike but I know they do want a mechanism they can trust," she added.

"Every police officer has human rights, the same as everyone else.

"If they give up a human right, they have got to have something in return."