FBU furious over 'Saddam' comment

FBU officials have behaved like Saddam's friends, said the Tories

A senior Conservative has moved to defuse a row sparked when he said firefighters' leaders had been acting like "Saddam's friends".

The Fire Brigades Union threatened to sue over "potentially defamatory" comments made by the shadow defence secretary, Bernard Jenkin.

It said his comments were "insulting, foolish and odious".

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Jenkin had called on the government to ban the strike, planned for 20 March.

"I do think this strike looks as though it's timed impeccably to coincide with the hostilities," he said.

"It does look as though the leadership of the Fire Brigades Union are behaving like Saddam's friends."

It does look as though the leadership of the Fire Brigades Union are behaving like Saddam's friends

Bernard Jenkin
Shadow defence secretary

He later backtracked, saying from the party's conference in Harrogate: "I accept that the FBU are not friends of Saddam Hussein.

"But they have been behaving like friends of Saddam Hussein and they have laid themselves open to that misinterpretation."

Party leader Iain Duncan Smith also tried to defuse the row.

'Not necessary'

He said Mr Jenkin merely meant that if the FBU was on strike at a time when the country was at war, then "in essence, it will be undermining our own forces because they are going to be under huge strain".

The Conservative leader said the Tories were making a simple appeal to the firefighters: "Don't do it. Whatever else, whatever the merits of your dispute, don't do this, because it is just not necessary."

These comments are insulting to those firefighters called up as reservists and those firefighters who are ex-members of the services

FBU spokesman

But the FBU insisted Mr Jenkin should publicly retract his "potentially libellous" comments fully, or face further action from the union.

The FBU said Mr Jenkin's comments had been "insulting to those firefighters called up as reservists and those firefighters who are ex-members of the services".

The timing of next week's strike was linked with the long-running pay talks, said a spokesman.

"Our pay claim should have been settled last year. It could have been settled last week. We would never run to any timetable other than those set out in the pay talks."

The union could not know the timetable for war, or even whether it was definitely going to happen, he said.

He added that the government had made it clear in the last few weeks that the military could cope with any conflicts in the Gulf and more fire strikes.

THE NEXT STRIKE

Thursday 20 March

24 hours from 1800 GMT

Subject to endorsement from union members at a meeting on Wednesday 19 March

Last week the FBU announced a 24-hour strike on 20 March, after rejecting a 16% pay offer linked with modernisations from local authority employers.

FBU delegates have been summoned to a national conference next Wednesday in Brighton where they will be asked to endorse the renewed strike.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has called on the FBU to put the proposed deal to the vote among members.