Liz McInnes challenges government to protect fire and rescue services

Liz McInnes, MP for Heywood and Middleton, has praised Heywood and other Greater Manchester firefighters for their rescue efforts in Cumbria, and has challenged the government to protect our fire and rescue services from further budget cuts.

Speaking in parliament from the frontbench in her role as Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government , Ms McInnes challenged the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Greg Clark MP to pledge his government’s commitment to providing the firefighters with the budget and resources they need.

She said: "Our fire and rescue services, including firefighters from Heywood, responded magnificently to the floods in Cumbria and other northern areas, and I was delighted to be able to pay tribute to them in parliament.

"However, as I told the Secretary of State, our fire and rescue services have suffered 30% cuts over the last five years, causing the loss of nearly 7,000 firefighters - one in eight of the total number—and equipment and appliances have been cut by more than 12% in metropolitan fire and rescue services. With such huge losses already suffered, and another 40% cuts planned by the Tories in the next five years, our fire service is at tipping point. It is not safe, effective or efficient simply to keep cutting resources.’

"That is why I asked the Secretary of State for his commitment to providing adequate resources so that the service can continue to contribute to national resilience on the scale and at the speed the public expect. Sadly, he was unable to do so.

"Our fire and rescue service has been stretched almost to breaking point by the Tory government, and firefighters I speak to are all seriously concerned about the impact of the further cuts to come. Alongside my Labour colleagues, I will continue to press the government on this important issue."