Is free speech at an end in the uk

[Stressed]

I friend of mine was a very senior officer in a brigade. With his friends/me he has been honest about his views on cuts, pension changes, beds and shifts.
Effectively he said he went for promotion to make things better with belief he could make a difference. Unfortunately he said once above Divisional officer the job changed. Fire authorities effectively tell the officers to "do the job you are being paid for". realistically this means we will get rid of you if you don't. This was all regardless of his actual views on shift/beds etc. But in his defence the moment the disgraced FF hating tory chair of the fire authority went beds were delivered to all new stations that were given reclining chairs with NO MEDIA COVER.

There was similar problems with another DO friend. When he was promoted to DO he was told "it's a long time to retirement being stuck in trining as an FBU member" The moment he resigned from the FBU he was given a borough commander's position. What the brigade didn't know was resigning from the FBU meant his subs were not taken from his waged. He just rejoined the FBU straight away and paid by direct debit from his bank account!

[bill.advanced]

Most senior officers I knew were decent men. They had a job to do, and it was important for myself and others to respect this. But there were times when I felt that they worked in unison, unable or unwilling to express an honestly held view, I suppose akin to a cabinet minister in a government, they were expected even demanded to toe the party line.
To an extent this is an effective management strategy, and for some issues a completely understandable even pragmatic strategy.

But on issues which affect public safety things take on a new meaning, and different rules both morally and on a managerial level should apply.

Let’s look at what’s going on in the SFRS.
These cutbacks were not initiated by SFRS management, they were imposed by the Scottish Government. The Scottish government are responsible for creating a balanced responsible budget. Now I get all of this. The Scottish government indicate a lowering of the fire service budget in line with the financial constraints imposed upon them.

So basically the fire service now have to operate with a smaller budget, and for obvious reasons cannot seek to make this a party political issue, by directly blaming the Scottish government.

They have two options both involving cutbacks necessitated by said cutbacks.

First option be honest with the public, explaining the realities of the situation, and attempt to justify any cutbacks, by stating that they are necessary to comply with budgetary constraints.

Second option to deny that these cutbacks will reduce the level of risk to the public, that in actual fact spending less will improve fire cover offering the public if not a better level of fire cover, but one which is commensurate with the standards set out in parliamentary law.
Therefore there will be no additional risk to the public, possibly even less of a risk due to more effective management. (Utter bollox)

When fire service managers are being used by politicians to do their dirty work for them, things are really bad, and that’s exactly what’s going on here. The real culprits have managed to deflect from themselves any blame for what is going on.

These decisions by definition are political, and it’s politicians who should be made to answer for them.

Cutbacks dressed up as something other than cutbacks is plain and simply lying,
Or let’s be diplomatic being economic with the truth.

Cutbacks cost lives, reduce standards, and put those charged with doing their jobs in greater risk. That’s the real message, that’s the only message, that’s the honest decent message.

[Stressed]

Unfortunately politicians look at percentages. "A 5% increase in fire deaths in the next few years is justifiable if we can save money and get re elected"
They know that by the time the fore deaths are noticed they can just blame the fire service and state they are carrying out a performance review.

When Boris was mayor of London he cut the fire service by about 20%. Kahn got is as mayor next Boris became foreign secretary. Boris then blamed Kahn for the 21% increase in fire deaths that he caused!:mad: