Reacting to George Osborne’s 2014 autumn statement Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “This government is promising more of the same – austerity for workers, so they can cut taxes for the rich. Firefighters want investment in the fire and rescue service, not more cuts.
“Last winter we saw widespread flooding throughout the country, but still the Westminster government refuses to give the fire and rescue service a clear statutory duty to respond to major flooding, unlike the governments of Scotland and Northern Ireland. Firefighters want the right level of resources in order to respond to these increasing threats effectively.
“The Cameron government cuts are devastating our emergency services and undermining our readiness for emergencies – whether it is fires, floods, terrorism or other disasters. They are leaving communities at risk by not giving firefighters the right resources to respond to these terrible incidents.”
