Queen’s Speech

Dear Brother/Sister,

Queen’s Speech

A new parliamentary session started on 11 May, with the government’s planned agenda set out in the 67th Queen’s Speech. FBU general secretary Matt Wrack met with the opposition frontbench team to outline the Fire Brigades Union’s concerns that this agenda will include detrimental legislative changes to the fire and rescue service. Threats have been made by chief inspector Tom Winsor and Home Secretary Priti Patel against the National Joint Council (NJC) in recent months.

As a result of FBU fears for the future of the NJC, a meeting was held with Labour to alert them to the threat. The meeting was with shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds, MP for Torfaen, and shadow Minister for Policing and the Fire Service Sarah Jones, MP for Croydon Central. Matt has separately raised these issues with Keir Starmer.

Following this meeting, on Monday 17 May, Thomas-Symonds delivered his response in parliament to the aspects of the Queen’s speech which affect his portfolio. He stated:

“We all rightly stood and clapped frontline workers, but the sound of applause does not pay bills. It is wrong —totally wrong—that this Government have time and again praised the work of frontline workers but refused to give them the fair pay rise that they deserve. This has been a time of national sacrifice and none has risked their life more than those who serve on our frontline. I have visited police stations and heard about our frontline officers putting themselves at risk to help others, not knowing who or what they will encounter when they are out on the beat. I have spoken to firefighters and heard about the sacrifices they have made, delivering food parcels and personal protective equipment, driving Covid patients to hospitals, and, very sadly, moving bodies. Yet they face a threat to the collective bargaining body that protects firefighters’ rights.”

He was answering an opening address from his counterpart Home Secretary Priti Patel, which focused on law and order:

“Protecting the public is the first duty of any Government, and from day one as Home Secretary it has been my No. 1 priority….Criminals and terrorists do not stand still and neither will this Government.”

Although the fire and rescue service is part of her brief, she made no mention of her ongoing plans to bring forward proposals for change, and nor did she thank firefighters for their work during the pandemic. Yet we know the plans are advancing in the background because on 16 March she commissioned a White Paper on fire reform. The FBU is monitoring developments closely and will keep members informed.

Yours fraternally,

Tam McFarlane
National Officer