Firefighters descend on Westminster to defend the fire and rescue service
Firefighters from all over the country were coming to the Houses of Parliament today (Wednesday) to lobby members of parliament about the future of the fire and rescue service amid huge concerns about public safety.
The firefighters, who are members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), are seeking the support of MPs to defend the fire and rescue service against the worst cuts it has ever known. More than 7000 frontline firefighter jobs have gone since 2010 as cuts of 30% have taken their toll, with even worse cuts to come. The FBU say more cuts will decimate the service.
Firefighters are also concerned about government proposals for Police & Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to take over the fire and rescue service, as this would pose a huge threat to the independence of firefighters who rely on the public’s trust to enable them to access their homes. Law enforcement and the humanitarian service provided by firefighters don’t mix, say the FBU.
Source: Firefighters descend on Westminster to defend the fire and rescue service – Fire Brigades Union
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People need to consider what the implications of the Tory cutting back of services means in real terms. Firemen are specially trained and are a credit to the service and I would want to know my safety comes first over government plans to shrink the state by cutting back on essential services even more. How many will die as a result of Tory cutbacks before people say “enough is enough, reverse the public sector cutbacks”?
This shower of pompous toffs are destroying our once wonderful country, there is not one group they have left alone apart from their rich donors.
The lid is going to blow very very soon and it will end in anarchy.
i’m afraid that is what it will take !!
A worrying thought just occurred to me…
I watched a documentary the other day regarding United States Prisons.
The documentary focused on many of the inhumane aspects of prison life in the US but also highlighted how the prisoners were set to work.
Companies such as McDonalds were mentioned (yes McDonalds uses this forced labour to make its hamburgers),
But the one that really struck me (If I recall correctly), is 4 out of 5 Firefighters in the US are actually prison workers, working long hours and getting paid virtually nothing. (UK enter G4S)
The Penal system in the US is the larges per capita in the world.
Privatised and run for profit.
I just hope the Tory Party aren’t planning on following in their footsteps yet again.
How easy would it be to strip all our public services to the bone and get the prisoners, and unemployed to fill the gaps. (I also recall a blog recently stating that the DWP were offering work experience to Jobseeker Claimants).
After all, to be unemployed nowadays is like being treated as if slave of the state.
Seems a bit too much of a coincidence that the UK Government are signing deals with Countries such as Jamaica to build a new state of the art Prison. I believe the contract is to go to G4s. I hope this is not some experimental training ground to test out some new agenda. Before launching it here.
The Fire Brigades Union, the only union that b*tch Thatcher couldn’t destroy. I bet that galled the hell out of her when she was booted out of office, and since then they have all tried and failed to dismantle it. I like that; that makes me smile that they have all tried to smash it to bits like they did with the others and never have; services like theirs, that are very important, need to be protected and the people should realise that – because if they don’t and they let the government cut and destroy them even more, then lives will be lost. More people should stand by the Fire Brigade and others like them that are fighting against the tories agenda because if they don’t, then there will be nothing left to protect. There will be nothing at all.