Fire strike: Blair appeals to voters' pockets

Tony Blair will make a direct appeal to voters today for support in the Government's battle with the firefighters by warning that caving in to their demands would jeopardise jobs, inflation and mortgage rates.

Amid alarm in Whitehall that the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) is winning the "spin war", the Prime Minister will attempt to scotch criticism.

A spokesman for the FBU, whose eight-day strike started on Friday, said Downing Street was "clearly rattled".

In a televised address, Mr Blair will warn that giving in to the FBU would open the floodgates to pay demands from across the public sector. He will argue: "Today's unaffordable pay rise is tomorrow's increase in inflation, mortgage rates and unemployment, as surely as night follows day."

His spokesman said his message ­ the need to protect economic stability and to be fair to other public-sector workers ­ was aimed at firefighters and their families, as well as the wider public. It will be reinforced by the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, in a speech to the Confederation of British Industry today and in a Commons statement by John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, expected tomorrow.

Mr Blair's monthly televised press conference, which was not due until next week, has been brought forward.

Cabinet ministers were dispatched to television and radio studios yesterday to reinforce the message that a 16 per cent pay rise can only be achieved by modernisation.

The drive was undermined by an apparent hint from Mr Prescott that transitional funding could be available for a deal until savings from modernisation were available. But Mr Brown insisted: "There can be no money from reserves. We have made that clear."

The Deputy Prime Minister was also notably more conciliatory about the prospect of a deal being struck than his cabinet colleague. Although government sources conceded there was a difference in tone between the two men, they insisted that both believed any increase above 4 per cent had to be paid for by modernisation.

Andy Gilchrist, general secretary of the FBU, will meet other officials of the union today to decide on strategy. Sources in the union said they were at a loss to know who to talk to in the Government. The FBU leader had previously been in close contact with Mr Prescott.

John Monks, the TUC general secretary, who has been attempting to broker an agreement, is urging the union and employers to meet for fresh negotiations. The firefighters' leader cancelled a tour of the country so he could be available.

But an employers' source said that while they were doing everything possible to break the deadlock, there was no immediate prospect of talks.

Referring to comments by Mr Prescott and Mr Brown, Mr Gilchrist said: "Half the Government seem to be saying the deal is back on the table and the other half are saying 'under no circumstances'. They need to get their act sorted out." On a visit to Luton, Mr Gilchrist described the behaviour of ministers as "very confusing".

The TUC leader warned the Government not to go to war with the unions. "It is a war nobody will win. The Government will lose, the unions will lose and the TUC will lose," he said.

Conciliation seemed a little closer last night after the the new Welsh Secretary, Peter Hain, said of the firefighters: "They deserve justice. Their situation has been ignored for far too long by everybody concerned." He told BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour: "But the Prime Minister will make clear that, on one hand, we want a just settlement and, on the other hand, it has to be affordable."