Firefighters' Bonfire Night Strike Called Off

The scheduled 47 hour firefighters' strike, due to start earlier this morning, was called off after a compromise was agreed as the basis for future talks. The FBU also says the LFB's threat of forcing firefighters to sign new contracts by sacking them all and only rehiring them under new terms was withdrawn. Pressure to resolve the strike, scheduled for the busiest night of the year (which is also Diwali), must have helped. The idea was always a) likely to meet with intense public disapproval and therefore b) bloody stupid. (Image / cloudy image)