I visited the Merseyside Fire & Rescue HQ in Bootle to hear about the work they do as they headed into Bonfire Night weekend. Merseyside has the top ranked fire service in the country and that’s something that we should be proud of.

Visiting their control room on November 4^th highlighted why the job they do is so important. The dedicated team were preparing for the evening to arrive and with it the frequency and number of calls. Bonfire Night and the lead-up, including Mischief Night, is always a busy time for the fire service. I saw the dedication and planning that goes into managing this time of year successfully.

The Tory Government, however, have offered fire service employees a 5% increase in wages, which when inflation is taken into account represents a significant cut in real wages after 12 years of austerity and pay stagnation. They were initially offered just 2%, having already lost pay worth 12% (£4,000) in real terms over the last decade. Having spent over a decade telling the fire service they must accept either low pay or cuts the Conservatives are now trying to force both of these through. That isn’t right.

Our Fire and Rescue Service does a fantastic job. They deserve to be recognised for it.