Slash and burn folly

THE Tory assault on our dedicated firefighters is surely one of the most short-sighted cuts in history.

The Conservatives have earmarked £41billion for renewing Britain’s four Trident submarines because the nuclear deterrent is our ultimate insurance policy. But no Prime Minister would ever want to press the button.

Yet our fire brigades are in action every day, putting out blazes, cutting car crash victims from mangled vehicles and plucking the stranded from flooded homes.

We never want to use the fire service but when we need it we want it to be there.

These heroes deserve better than Tory austerity. Yet the party has slashed almost 12,000 frontline firemen and women since 2010, while closing 40 stations and reducing others from full time to part time.

Surely the risks of cutting staff numbers, mothballing fire engines and downgrading stations are obvious for all to see.

All, that is, except ministers in this pathetic Government who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.