UK News 25-11-2002 PM Steps In To Fight Fire Strike who: Tony Blair what: Calls on fire fighters to halt strike action where: LONDON when: Today snippet: "Tony Blair was accused of panicking last night," reports The Telegraph, "after it was announced that he is to make a personal appeal to firemen and their families to end the strike." "In a televised address, Mr Blair will warn that giving in to the Fire Brigades Union would open the floodgates to pay demands from across the public sector," reports The Independent on the fourth day of the eight-day stoppage. "He will argue: `Today`s unaffordable pay rise is tomorrow`s increase in inflation, mortgage rates and unemployment, as surely as night follows day`." The Mirror says that deputy prime minister John Prescott has been left "humiliated" by the weekend`s media mudslinging after chancellor Gordon Brown overruled Prescott`s mooted 16% pay offer. FBU assistant general secretary Mike Fordham rubbed salt in his wounds by announcing that the strike would not stop without "very strong assurances written in somebody`s blood, probably Gordon Brown`s not John Prescott`s. We feel as if we`ve been dealing with the monkey when we should be speaking to the organ grinder." Mr Prescott is due to reopen talks with the fire brigades` employers tomorrow and despite Mr Blair`s speech today, The Financial Times seems optimistic that the government will yet be prepared to compromise, quoting a "senior official" who predicts that in the face of economic uncertainty and a potential war with Iraq "the idea that we would choose this moment for a confrontation with the unions just doesn`t add up". [... more]

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