'Disgraceful' fire service cuts will 'cause deaths'

PLANS for “disgraceful” cuts to England’s fire services are risking lives, it was claimed yesterday.

- By Eleanor Burleigh

Investment has dropped by around £1billion in the last decade and firefighter numbers have been cut by a quarter in seven years — the equivalent of losing 11,000 full-time staff.

Now changes being put forward in Rachel Reeves’ spending review could cut a further £1.6million from front-line services over the next three years, causing an estimated 2,300 job losses, according to predictions by the National Fire Chiefs Council.

The NFCC said fire authorities are also set to get 4.3% of the local government funding allocation under Labour reforms — down from 4.9%.

Steve Wright, the Fire Brigades Union general secretary, blasted: “Time is running out for Labour to demonstrate that it can provide a meaningful alternative to Tory austerity.