ABBOTTS AND CLEGG MEET LOCAL FIRE CHIEF

10.49.08am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 18th Jun 2006

Nick Clegg MP and Ben Abbotts at Bromley Fire Station

Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesman Nick Clegg MP joined local Liberal Democrat Campaigner Ben Abbotts on the campaign trail in Bromley and Chislehurst to meet the Borough Fire Commander and local fire-fighters.

Nick Clegg MP and Ben Abbotts held a question and answer session with the fire-fighters about local issues - such as access to buildings, pace of change and traffic calming - which affect them in their local work.

Nick Clegg MP said:

"The number of burnt out cars here in Bromley is the second highest across London. This is a major problem for the Fire Brigade locally. Fighting crime and anti-social behaviour is Ben Abbotts' top priority.

"Fire-fighters raised Government bureaucracy as a problem, it is often difficult to keep up with the constant stream of memorandums changing policies and working practices. Firefighters should be out saving and protecting lives not stuck behind desks pushing paper.

"We need a full-time local MP who will stand up for the fire-fighters."

Local Liberal Democrat Campaigner Ben Abbotts said:

"It was a great pleasure to meet the local fire-fighters, who play a vital role in the local community, not just fighting fires and attending road traffic accidents but also promoting fire safety awareness.

The fire-fighters asked me to raise parking with the local council, especially where cars park both sides of the road, often making access for the fire engines extremely difficult."