Glimmer of hope appears in fire strike

Hopes of a breakthrough in the national fire strike rose last night when the Fire Brigades Union hinted it was prepared to lower its 40 per cent wage demand in return for concessions from the Government.

As the first 48-hour strike came to an end, frantic efforts were under way to avoid an eight-day stoppage planned for next week, with John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, due to meet union leaders on Monday.

But the dispute threatened to spread when rail unions announced they were balloting their members for all-out sympathy strikes on London Underground. Tony Blair said last night the next fire strike, planned for Friday, would be "deeply irresponsible" and warned that the Government would do "everything we can to protect the public".

The Prime Minister's tough words were undermined when fire chiefs and military commanders said they would not allow troops to cross picket lines and use red fire engines. Mr Blair's stance was also compromised in a letter he sent to Iain Duncan Smith, the Tory leader, which claimed the logistical problems of training troops on red engines "would be very considerable indeed".

A possible 16 per cent pay deal would give firefighters £25,000 a year.