HUNDREDS of firefighters from across Britain staged a mass rally and lobby of Parliament today to demand urgent action to save fire services that are “on their knees.”

Firefighters at the Fire Brigades Union’s Time To Deliver rally called on the new Labour government in Westminster to meet 10 demands to reverse 14 years of Tory austerity.

This included proper investment to make fire services better and safer as well as fit to fight new challenges created by climate change.

More than 12,000 firefighter jobs have been cut — a fifth — and central funding slashed by 30 per cent since 2010, the first major national union rally since Labour got in heard.

Craig Elson, a firefighter in Staffordshire, warned: “Keeping communities safer has become increasingly difficult with crews being cut to unsafe levels.”

He explained that some fire engines have a crew of only three, which is putting lives at risk.

A national body, in which firefighters are given a voice, was also demanded to address slower response times — which are the worst they have ever been — and the fragmentation of the service.

The body would have a legal standing to set standards on fire cover, training, equalities, and health and safety.

FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said: “With all the talk of modernisation, the fact that fire services are slower to respond than 30 years ago is a national disgrace.

“We need to demand the restoration of our national standards to make fire services safe for firefighters and the public.”

He also paid tribute to the heroism of firefighters who responded to the Grenfell tower fire and slammed the “ideology of deregulation” that saw the building go up like petrol.

The FBU is also demanding the government introduce publicly owned and centrally funded supervision of the building industry, with all faults in unsafe buildings rectified without further delays.

Firefighters insisted that Labour’s plans for a New Deal for Working People must be delivered in full to improve the living standards of all workers.

Mr Wrack said: “For every union demanding change there is going to be a business or chairman arguing the opposite. 

“We must ensure the Labour government sticks to its promises.”

Fears Labour is planning to unveil a mere “skeleton” employment rights Bill tomorrow, with core New Deal pledges such as repeal of 2016 anti-strike ballot threshold legislation missing, have been leaked to media outlets.

Encouraging members as they prepared to descend on Parliament to lobby their MPs, he added: “Now we have a new Labour government, we have an opportunity to fight for better conditions for our members. We must seize it.”

The rally also heard that fire cuts were directly responsible for the destruction of the 200-year-old Royal Albion hotel in Brighton last year.

A video played at the rally explained that the hotel would have been saved 25 years ago when the fire service was better resourced.

Mark Petty-Mayor, watch manager of Southend fire service in Essex, told the Morning Star: “In the 33 years I have been a firefighter I have never seen it so bad.

“Fire services are on their knees.”

Kasey LeGall, Leicestershire brigade organiser, warned that firefighters are so stretched that they cannot take annual leave.

She told the Morning Star: "Many fire services have huge financial challenges that means they are unable to operate efficiently. 

"In the years I have been a firefighter I have only seen it get worse. 

“The fact that fire services are running at all is entirely down to the love and good will of firefighters." 

Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana, the FBU’s parliamentary chair, called the neglect of the fire service a disgrace.

She highlighted that brutal cuts seen fire services woefully ill-equipped to address climate challenges.

“Storm Babet saw fire services stretched too far with many asked to do more for less... but climate change is only going to get worse,” she warned.

“There is a climate crisis... our fire services must be fully resourced to deal with this rising problem.

“But it’s not just about money. There needs to be robust fire safety standards to make sure there is not another Grenfell.”

She also sent solidarity to Palestine and Lebanon, adding: “We cannot push Isreal for an immediate ceasefire while at the same time arming them.”

The government has been contacted for comment.