HOME Secretary Charles Clarke has denied he is rushing through a shake-up of police forces that could see Kent Police merge with neighbouring forces in Sussex and Surrey.

Mr Clarke sought to play down fears that he would press ahead with mergers regardless of whether there was opposition to them.

He insisted he would be happy to "look again" if it could be shown mergers would cut frontline funding.

The shake-up has set out options to reduce the number of existing police forces across the country. The shake-up could see Kent link up with Sussex or Surrey or both. Other combinations involve Sussex, Surrey with Kent or Hampshire.

Mr Clarke warned, however, that where there was no dissent, he would move quickly to set up new forces.

Speaking to regional newspaper political editors at a Newspaper Society lunch in London he said: "My objective is to deliver what will be the most effective policing system in the country and I am guided by the police.

"If it was argued that we were taking away resources from local community policing, I would look again at where we are."

But he qualified that pledge by hinting that he would not shy away from using his powers as Home Secretary.

"If there is a consensus in a particular area that says ‘we all think this is the shape things should be’, then I will say go ahead. If there is no consensus and no agreement, I then have to decide what to do."

He went on: "I do have the power to say ‘I would like you do this.’ Where there is agreement, the situation is that I can issue an order. I think that is a perfectly reasonable approach. What many people are saying to me is ‘do it quickly.’"

Kent's Chief Constable Mike Fuller has said he would prefer Kent to remain a "stand-alone" police force. With 3,630 officers, it is close to the 4,000 optimum size recommended in a review conducted by police inspectors.

Thanet North Conservative MP Roger Gale said the Government was rushing headlong into a shake-up without giving time for a proper debate.

He said: "No primary legislation is required to allow the government to merge forces. As things stand we are being denied the right to debate and vote upon a matter of the utmost importance before changes are implemented."