Staggering Contempt

Yesterday saw hundreds of firefighters protesting against attacks on their pensions & cuts to the UK fire service; the opening of a new fire station at West Norwood provided the back drop for a passionate confrontation when Conservative MP Penny Morduant arrived for a ribbon cutting ceremony at a time when firefighters are facing unprecedented cuts and pension reform.

Much has been said about the proposed cuts, reckless & ideologically driven by the Tories with a disregard for public safety - the below articles highlighting the effect to response times in several London wards as a result of closing 10 stations and removing 500 front line firefighters from operational duty.

Response times increase in East London wards

Boris Johnson cuts increase response times across North East London

Response times increase in all but 1 of 20 Newham wards

But it is a small twitter exchange which I was staggered to come across this morning which provides the inspiration for this article. Chair of the London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) James Cleverly was in attendance at the station, acting as guide to Ms Morduant along side London Fire Brigade Commissioner Ron Dobson, and it is his comments following the visit which give this article it's title.

After Penny Morduant tweeted an image of herself and the LFEPA chairman within the fire station several users made reference to the absence of firefighters who had refused to meet her, Cleverly then tweeted this caustic response:

It truly shows a staggering level of contempt for the firefighters which he represents as the figurehead of the authority charged with managing the fire service in London. It surely calls into question his ability to make key decisions uncoloured by his obvious disdain for the men and woman of the service.

More than that I believe it shows a glimmer of the pervasive disrespect which Conservative politicians have for public sector workers and working class folk across the land.