Government to impose deal on firefighters

Emergency legislation is to be introduced to impose a pay deal in the bitter firefighters' dispute, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott announced today.

In the Commons, Mr Prescott said it was "unacceptable" for 19,000 members of the armed forces to be "tied down" here, while war was under way in Iraq, providing cover in case firefighters struck again.

Urging the Fire Brigades Union to ballot individual members on the latest pay offer, he said: "I put my faith in the common sense and decency of firefighters to bring this dispute to an end."

The choice for firefighters was simple - accept a "generous" deal approved by the FBU Executive, but rejected yesterday by the union's recalled conference, or continue with a dispute that was "going nowhere and will require me to act".