Socialist Worker

After floods firefighters slam cuts—sack Tories not us

by Simon Hickman, Manchester firefighter
Issue No. 2485

I was responding to the floods in Greater Manchester on Boxing Day, pumping out water and getting people out of their homes.

The whole brigade was overstretched. We struggled, and just about muddled through.

But Tory cuts mean the loss of 400 jobs here. It’s scary to think what that will mean.

Climate change will bring more extreme weather.

We’ll face it at both ends—with more fires during heatwaves and more floods.

How well we respond really comes down to how many personnel we have.

The Tories say the floods came as a surprise and they’re doing all they can. It’s nonsense.

They knew it was coming. They didn’t do all they could then and they aren’t now.

Instead they’ve made massive cuts while subsidising landowners who strip the land so it can’t retain water.

We don’t want Cameron’s words. We need proper funding for public services.

