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I pay tribute to the FBU and am proud to attend the centenary service to celebrate the bravery of firefighters.

We are all much safer today because of their tireless work over 100 years.

The union’s outstanding record underlines unions’ vital role in standing up for workers and changing the lives of millions of people for the better. The FBU has been at the heart of the Labour Party as an affiliate for most of its existence.

I am proud to lead a party that is supported by the FBU and its members campaigning for workers’ rights, social justice and defending our public services.

(Image: PA)

You cannot keep the public safe on the cheap. We must make sure the fire service is funded properly and that these brave and dedicated public service workers are treated with respect.

Firefighters have lost faith in this Tory government. Austerity is putting the public at risk and damaging an essential service.

Firefighters dealt with more incidents, more fires and saw more fire deaths last year than for most of the last decade in England, yet Tories continue to starve fire authorities of central funding.

Cuts have consequences and we cannot afford to cut these vital public services.

Since 2010, one in five firefighter jobs has been cut. That means slower response times, so austerity is putting public safety at risk.