Blair speaks up on fire strike

Tony Blair has dismissed claims that the Government deliberately engineered the dispute with firefighters.

Speaking at his monthly Downing Street press conference he rejected union claims that ministers wanted the strike.

He warned the Government would not be prepared to put the economy at risk by acceding to the union's demands.

Mr Blair said: "This idea, particularly at a time of heightened security and terrorist concerns is palpably absurd. If we were to accede this pay claim, the economic consequences would be dire."

The Prime Minister said the Government could not write a blank cheque authorising a 16% pay deal which was not funded through modernisation.

He said the deal proposed by the fire union and employers would have consisted of four pay rises over 12 months with the unions only agreeing to "talk about modernisation".

Mr Blair said the deal would have been funded by taxpayers' money adding: "We made it clear as we have throughout that we could not sign such a cheque, especially a blank one with no costings."

The reforms proposed by Sir George Bain and supported by the Government were not "unreasonable" and would result in "basic changes" to working practices.

"All these changes which I think when people hear them listed in that way think they are basic changes to working practices all of course save money and produce efficiency gains.

"And frankly I defy anyone to say they are unreasonable. But at present the union has not agreed to any of them."