She says a new covenant is needed to promise Britain’s bobbies the same level of support as Armed Forces personnel – and guarantee inflation-proof pay rises every year. In an exclusive article for the Daily Express today Miss McVey puts forward the radical plan and sets out her vision for the country in her bid to succeed Theresa May as prime minister. “I value what the police and our Armed Forces do and recognise the risks they take on our behalf,” the Tory leadership contender writes, opening up a new front in the debate that has so far been dominated by Brexit. “There can be no better way of showing this than by committing to paying and treating them properly,” she says.

Her intervention in the debate about who should be the next prime minister will be seen as an attempt to outflank Home Secretary Sajid Javid as the law and order candidate.

Yesterday, he promised to recruit 20,000 more police at a cost of £1billion a year.

But Miss McVey says £9billion needs to be spent over the next three-year Treasury spending period to repair the damage done by funding cuts imposed since 2010.

“We have always prided ourselves on being the party for the police and of law and order,” Miss McVey says, adding: “This bond has been broken by cuts to the police budget.”

She claims the extra cash can be found by halving our £14billion overseas aid budget each year.

This would provide £3billion for the police and a further £4billion for the education budget, she says.

Miss McVey says that the extra funding could help provide more support for officers with a “Police Covenant” setting out both the Government and society’s obligations to care for law enforcers and their families.

Duty Modelled on the Armed Forces Covenant introduced by former prime minister David Cameron, the document would formally recognise the risks police take in doing their duty and set out what they should expect in return.

Miss McVey wants the Government to consult with the Police Federation, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other organisations on the wording of the covenant.

She expects it to be similar to the Armed Forces Covenant in recognising that “the whole nation has a moral obligation” to personnel for their service, adding: “They deserve our respect, support and fair treatment.”

The document will also make clear that police should never get an annual pay rise below the rate of inflation.

Miss McVey’s policy platform is likely to find favour with Tory MPs and grassroots party members concerned by police cuts.

Between 2010 and 2018, the total number of officers, community support staff and other police workers has fallen by 18 percent.

“Police cuts have had consequences: Violent crime is rising and the public frustration is palpable as crimes like burglary do not get the attention they deserve,” Miss McVey says.

Official figures released in January showed that violent crime recorded by police in England and Wales has risen by 19 percent over the last year.

The number of homicides, including murder and manslaughter, rose from 649 to 739 in the 12 months to the end of September 2018 – an increase of 14 percent.

Earlier this month, Miss McVey helped launch the new Blue Collar Conservatism group, which hopes to attract more working-class voters to the Tories.

She is seen as an outsider in the leadership race – which has already attracted 11 candidates – but has built up support among Brexit enthusiasts for committing to take the UK out of the EU without a deal if she is chosen as the country’s next prime minister.

Supporters Her declared supporters include backbenchers Gary Streeter, Pauline Latham and Andrew Lewer.

Mias McVey, who quit the Cabinet in November over Mrs May’s proposed Brexit deal, said yesterday: “No government that I lead will ever seek an extension beyond October 31.

“It’s time for the Conservative Party to wake up, listen to the voters and embrace Brexit as a magnificent opportunity.”

The Tory leadership race is set to kick off for real from June 10 when nominations formally open.

Penny Mordaunt will say the next Tory leader and prime minister has to “restore trust, confidence and hope”.

The Defence Secretary, who has yet to declare whether she will enter the race, is calling for a “different kind of leadership” to unlock the UK’s potential and tackle the “major challenges” facing the country.

She will use an article on the influential ConservativeHome website to say this leadership contest “cannot mirror those of the past”.

A live consultation call on June 4 will also allow members to vote on issues and email in ideas.

Other MPs helping host the call include Justice Minister Robert Buckland, former head of the prime minister’s policy board George Freeman and Andrew Bowie, Mrs May’s parliamentary private secretary.

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