Mr Blair and his sluggish response to an emergency

What if Tony Blair had made a few weeks ago the remarks on the fire strike that he uttered yesterday? It is difficult to suppose that they would have prevented industrial action. Indeed, Mr Blair's tough-sounding stance might have provoked the firefighters into an even more militant position. But at least Mr Blair's ministerial colleagues, the firefighters, the local authorities who employ them and the public would have had a clearer idea as to what the Government's policy actually is. It is likely that the mixed messages issued by Gordon Brown, John Prescott, Peter Hain and others over the weekend would have been avoided and the negotiations could have proceeded on a clearer basis.

Well, at least we know where the Prime Minister stands now. For those waiting with bated breath to see if Mr Blair would attempt to find a third way between Mr Brown's self-styled "iron resolve" and Mr Prescott's pragmatism, the Prime Minister had one reply: 4 per cent is the firefighters' lot, and if they want more then they'll have to modernise (ie reform) to pay for it. The consequences for the economy of doing otherwise were "dire". On this issue, Mr Brown and Mr Blair have identical aspirations.

Mr Blair is far too consummate a politician to allow himself to be pinned down in a press conference to particular percentages. He was, however, perfectly happy to look at some of the detailed modernisation measures that the firefighters' unions had rejected out of hand. Mr Blair asks, reasonably, why more part-time and full-time firefighters don't work together in teams; why there is a blanket ban on overtime; why firefighters reject using the sort of life-saving equipment that paramedics use; why management can't be allowed to propose new shift patterns where they make for a more efficient service. With a just a hint of self-satisfaction he also pointed out what an excellent job the military were doing on a fraction of the firefighters' resources (hint,hint).

If Mr Blair is to win over public opinion in this strike, then these are precisely the arguments he should be taking to the country. It's just a pity he took so long to respond to this particular political 999 call.