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A PROVOCATIVE former adviser to Tony Blair was called an “idiot” yesterday after he said fire prevention was “a massive waste of public money.”
John McTernan, who also advised failed party leaders Jim Murphy and Julia Gillard in campaigns in Scotland and Australia, made the comments on Twitter after calling for a merger of the police and ambulance services.
But Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack said Mr McTernan’s comments were “crass, ignorant, offensive and, frankly, idiotic.”
“Fire prevention has saved countless lives and is a key part of the work firefighters do every day,” he said.
“Fire prevention and the various inspection and enforcement activities by firefighters have dramatically improved public safety [across public buildings and] workplaces.
“At this point in his career McTernan would be better engaged examining his own role in Labour’s recent spectacular failure in the general election in Scotland.”
