FIREFIGHTERS dropped a proposal to reaffiliate to Labour yesterday amid uncertainties over the party’s future direction.

The proposal to rekindle the union-party link is thought to have had widespread support in the FBU several months ago, following Labour’s opposition to the changes to firefighters’ pensions. But the mood changed following the shock Tory majority and particularly Labour’s wipe-out in Scotland. Officials reportedly feared that reaffiliating would alienate Scottish members.

One reaffiliation motion, from the Durham brigade, was withdrawn without debate and another was remitted in a proposal speech from Lincolnshire brigade chair Ben Selby.

“The political scenery is changing, in light of the support we received from the Labour Party over pensions,” Mr Selby said.

But he said members had to be consulted following the outcome of the Labour leadership election and that his branch would bring the proposal next year instead.

“This subject will not go away just because the executive want it to,” he warned.