Burnside backs imposed firefighters pay deal

Ulster Unionist MP David Burnside has welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister's pledge to take emergency powers to impose a pay settlement on striking firefighters.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Burnside said a resolution was urgently required, especially at a time when the UK is "moving into very dangerous territory in terms of the possibility of war and the threat of terrorism".

Mr Burnside questioned the UK's role in the current strike given that soldiers based in Northern Ireland were covering for around 2,000 striking firefighters – and so interrupt training ahead of deployment to the Middle East.

The latest strike has seen Army personnel deal with 2,000 calls across the UK, during which six people died.

Mr Burnside said: "If we are going to war, one of the immediate reactions may be an increase in terrorism against the United Kingdom. The impact and threat of such an increase while firefighters are involved in a dispute will be to endanger life nationally."

The Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott agreed that the dispute should "end as soon as possible on agreeable terms."

He added: "I am making an appeal that serious negotiations should take place and lead to conclusions. I have proposed that other actions be taken if that does not happen over time."

The South Antrim MP also urged Mr Prescott to accept that any decision should be "debated, discussed and solved nationally".

He added: "I met the FBU on Friday. Its members on the ground are reasonable men whose own worst enemy is their leadership. The matter needs to be settled as quickly as possible and that needs to be done at a national level."

Responding, Mr Prescott said the Fire Services Act 1947 required him to discuss these issues with the devolved administrations.

He added: "How we deal with the matter is a national issue, but if devolved administrations feel that they want to deal with it differently, I must seek discussions with them."

Union leaders who have expressed their concern about his plans for the fire service and it has been mooted that unions may sever links – and funding – from the cash-strapped Labour Party. Further talks were expected to be held today with the prospect of a further 48-hour firefighters strike set for Saturday.

The unions are opposed to the government's threat to introduce new legislation that would force an end to the dispute and impose changes in pay and conditions on the service.

Members of the FBU will walk out again for 48 hours from 9am on Saturday unless a breakthrough is made at the talks table.

(MB)