IN THIS era of self-aggrandisement, hidden agendas, political spin and double-speak there are few who command our genuine respect. Given the absolute botch made of policing by successive Home Office initiatives one would not expect police officers to be held in high regard... but they are.

The public are acutely aware that their last line of defence against thugs, gangsters and terrorists are our front line police officers.

When Poynton's DC Stephen Oake was stabbed to death apprehending a violent terrorist, he had the gratitude of his colleagues and the respect and admiration of an entire nation.

We mourned the death of a brave policeman thanklessly laying down his life to save ours.

We sympathised when the Prime Minister's wife attended the funeral with quivering lip and tearful eye. We grieved along with DC Oake's family and gave thanks, as a nation, for one man's bravery.

We made little of the incompetence that sent DC Oake on this most dangerous of missions without any kind of protection. It seemed somehow inappropriate.

Out of this tragedy came the opportunity to honour a true hero, a chance to express our heartfelt appreciation for a rare act of self-sacrifice, without which thousands of innocent civilians may have died.

So what did Mr Blair's Government decide they should do? Outrage an entire nation with a grossly offensive denial of Mr Oake's bravery, declaring it insufficient to meet the criteria required for a posthumous award.

And what of the Prime Minister himself? Having made such an impressive show of grief at the high profile funeral what did Mr Blair have to say about this monstrous insult?

That it was merely 'inappropriate for him to intervene'.

Thank God Stephen Oake didn't think it 'inappropriate to intervene' when he stood between us and a knife-wielding maniac.

Thank God he had the guts to do his duty and not hide behind some pathetic line of protocol.

Had DC Oake survived, thus presenting more vote-grabbing photo opportunities, things may have been different.

Had he amassed a personal fortune by strutting his funky stuff he would, no doubt, be Sir Stephen Oake, arriving at Number Ten in a blaze of publicity.

But DC Oake did not survive; he died from eight horrific stab wounds protecting us from terror and needs no tarnished 'honour' from lily-livered politicians pontificating from the safety of Whitehall.

To the grateful British public Stephen Oake will forever be a hero.

  • THE views expressed on this page are those of Vic Barlow and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Express.