Last night’s BBC Panorama ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/panorama/hi/front_page/newsid_9010000/9010597.stm) programme will no doubt have had the Tory press salivating today, with its report conducted with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism ( http://thebureauinvestigates.com/2010/09/20/public-sector-rich-list-9000-earn-more-than-the-prime-minister/) showing that 38,000 senior public sector employees earn above £100,000 a year.

It won’t matter that two thirds of local government workers earn less than £21,000-a-year and are facing a three-year pay freeze – it will be another excuse for lambasting public sector excess in advance of drastic cuts.

Nevertheless, the fact that the introduction of private sector values into the public sector under Labour has meant the pay of the top 5% of these earners has risen by 51% in the past 10 years is still shocking. The pay freeze has only made the gap between those at the top and those at the bottom even worse.

It turns out that the Chief Executive of Newham council is no longer the highest paid local government officer – that ‘honour’ now goes to Gerald Jones in Wandsworth, who is paid a staggering annual salary of £299,925. But who are the top earners in the police? Based on Freedom of Information requests, at number one is Sir Paul Stephenson, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, who is paid £280,489. He is followed by his deputy Tim Godwin, who takes home £246,969 – six Met employees make it into the top ten. The other high earners are listed below. In total, 196 police officers across the UK earn more than £100,000. The figures are on the BBC website. ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11333472)

1. Sir Paul Stephenson Commissioner, Metropolitan Police Service
2. £280,489
3. Tim Godwin Deputy Commissioner, Metropolitan Police Service
4. £246,969
5. Sir Norman Bettison Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Constabulary
6. £217,956
7. John Yates Assistant Commissioner, Metropolitan Police Service
8. £211,624
9. Sean Price Chief Constable of Cleveland Police
10. £208,691
11. Chris Allison Assistant Commissioner Metropolitan Police Service
12. £204,882
13. Mike Craik Chief Constable of Northumbria Police
14. £204,701
15. Sir Hugh Orde Chief Constable of the Police Service of N. Ireland
16. £202,500
17. Rose Fitzpatrick Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Metropolitan Police Service
18. £196,396
19. Ailsa Beaton Director of Information, Metropolitan Police Service
20. £189,896