Lib Dems Write to Jeremy Corbyn, asking him to Oppose Cuts to Leicestershire Fire Service

Jeremy Corbyn was elected as Labour leader with a clear promise to oppose cuts to public services. However, the Leicester City Labour Party doesn't appear to take the same position, especially when it comes to our Fire and Rescue Service.

The Combined Fire Authority Committee has seven Conservatives, seven Labour and three Liberal Democrats, so by working together, Labour and the Liberal Democrats would have a majority. But Labour Mayor Peter Souslby appears to have made a secret deal with Tory leader Nick Rushton, and they have voted on cuts to frontline Fire and Rescue Services that are so severe, frontline firefighters now have serious concerns whether they will be able to keep Leicestershire citizens safe.

We think that the decision of Peter Souslby and his City County Councillors to vote for these cuts will put the lives of Leicestershire residents in danger, so we have written to Jeremy Corbyn, asking him to take the side of frontline fire fighters and those who rely on them for their safety, and to intervene against these cuts.

The letter is below.
We will update you Jeremy sends a response.

Dear Jeremy

Firstly may we congratulate you on your election as leader of the Labour Party. We note your anti-austerity platform which received a large mandate from your party members.

It is on the anti-austerity agenda we write to seek your assistance now. We are the three Liberal Democrat Party representatives on the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Combined Fire Authority. You may or may not be aware, but the CFA is under no-overall control with the Conservative and Labour Members having the same number of representatives and the Lib Dems holding the balance of power.

We were disappointed to hear last week that draconian cuts are being proposed which will see two fire stations close and nearly 90 firefighters lose their jobs. We are hoping that you would use your influence with the Labour vice-chair and members of the CFA and get them to join us in preventing these cuts which the FBU tell us put local lives at risk.

The arithmetic of the CFA is that is such that if Labour members votes with us then together we can block these dangerous cuts. So far, the indications are that Labour members are inclined to go along with the measures which we find very disappointing.

We urge you to intervene to help save Leicestershire's Fire Service.

Yours sincerely

Stuart Bray Michael Charlesworth Michael Wyatt

Liberal Democrat Representatives

Leicester and Leicestershire Combined Fire Authority