HATED Tory Fire Minister Penny Mordaunt tried to placate furious firefighters in her constituency with cheap chocolates yesterday, but the Christmas heroes said this was no substitute for robbing their pensions.

Ms Mordaunt personally delivered the tub of Quality Street — which retails for £5 but is currently on special offer at many shops — to Cosham fire station.

The confectionary was accompanied by a card reading: “To everyone working over the Christmas period, wishing you peace at Christmas, Thank you! Penny Mordaunt and the Portsmouth Conservatives.”

But in an angry Facebook post, the local Fire Brigades Union (FBU) branch said that it would reject the gift.

“We are going to give them to the people struggling with these austerity cuts the most by taking them to her local foodbank, so that we can make a happier Christmas for those that really need a bit of good will.”

Ms Mordaunt has presided over a pensions package that will force firefighters to work an extra five years, retiring at 60 instead of 55. Workers will also have to pay more into their pension pots.

The plan has been vociferously resisted by the FBU, with even Labour leader Ed Miliband getting behind their cause.

Last week Mr Miliband’s party tabled a motion in Parliament calling for the new scheme to be scrapped, but Tories and Lib Dems rallied to ensure that the proposal was defeated.

FBU general secretary Matt Wrack told the Star: “A raspberry fondant isn’t going to make up for the fact that our pensions are being slashed.

“In making this gesture, she’s trying to make the point that she’s aware that firefighters are there for the public 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”

He said the FBU’s message at Christmas time was the same, but launched a rallying cry for campaigners to up the momentum in the new year.

“The government needs to know that we’re not going away, we won the debate in Parliament last week and we will be chasing them up with our campaign for justice over pensions in 2015,” he said.

Asked if Ms Mordaunt wanted to comment on the rejection of her present, a spokesman said: “I wouldn’t think so. I’m not sure there’s very much to say.

“It’s not a new thing, it’s something that she’s done for many years.”