South Yorkshire's chief constable, Med Hughes, criticized government spending cuts, saying they have created a north-south divide. He claimed the cuts had a disproportionate affect on northern forces compared to southern ones, due to differences in council tax income and housing styles. The prime minister, David Cameron, disputed this, stating that police forces across England were being asked to make similar 7-8% budget cuts over four years.

Unite General Secretary Len McCluskey warned David Cameron that cutting police numbers may lead to regrettable consequences when industrial action starts. McCluskey also encouraged trade unionists to engage in direct and traditional industrial action against government cuts and pension reforms, stating it would be "just the beginning of a series of long disputes". He expressed concerns over restrictions on trade unions and vowed to resist any attempts to undermine their human right to strike action.