Prison workers have been banned from wearing their new union badge by their bosses, despite the fact that the badges are being sold to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Prison Officers' Association (POA) members have been threatened with suspension if they wear the badges.

In a message of support to the prison officers, George Galloway said, "This is a shocking attack on trade union and workers' rights by the prison service management. The fact that money raised from the new union badge is going to help sick children simply underscores how out to lunch the senior management are.

"Their and the government's arrogance has already forced POA members to stand up for themselves this year. The union had my full support then, and it does now."

The National Chairman of the POA Colin Moses said:

“With all the problems the Prison Service is currently facing, with cuts to its budget and the ongoing crisis of the prison population, it is typical of this Director General to attempt to divert the attention of the public from his mismanagement of the Service by attacking the professional men and women who work for him.

Mr Wheatley appears to be bereft of ideas on how to move the Prison Service forward and is far more intent on picking a fight with the POA over any subject he can. It really is a pitiful position.”

The POA General Secretary, Brian Caton added:

“Unfortunately, members of the Prison Service Management Board are clearly and deliberately engineering a dispute between POA and the Prison Service. The question should be asked of them, Why?

I believe it is because they know that in the very near future the prison system could explode because of their mismanagement and the Governments under funding of the Service for years. I think they are engineering a dispute so they can shift the blame from themselves to the POA. We will not let the public be duped in this way.”