FIREFIGHTERS have warned they will consider all options to fight multimillion-pound cuts to the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has written to the SNP Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown ahead of a major campaign rally against the cuts in Glasgow’s George Square at 1pm on Thursday.

Penned by FBU executive council member Colin Brown, the letter states: “You are the government minister with direct responsibility for the fire & rescue service, you must stop hiding behind its management and take your role seriously.”

The fire service has announced plans to mothball fire engines across Scotland as it strives to cut £11 million in spending this year and £36m over the next four years.

In response to a parliamentary question from Labour’s Pauline McNeill last month, Ms Brown continued to insist that there was “no cash crisis” at the service despite the cuts plans.

But Mr Brown’s letter said: “The fire service have unilaterally chosen to remove resources from communities and reduce firefighter numbers by an estimated 200 posts this year, without any prior, meaningful consultation.”

Referring  to a fire service document which admitted: “We cannot realistically reduce costs without reducing workforce numbers,” Mr Brown said: “This situation is not, as you have previously claimed, down to ‘operational decisions’ by fire service management.

“This crisis has been brought about as a direct consequence of the declining real-terms budget the service has been allocated by the Scottish government over the next four years.

“We will continue to robustly resist these cuts and we will hold to account and expose the politicians who are responsible and those who sit back and passively accept the loss of jobs and increased risk to the lives of our members and the safety of the public we serve.

“We are advising you today that the FBU will consider all options available to us to protect jobs and services.”

The Scottish government claims it is maintaining front-line services, with a higher number of firefighters in Scotland than other parts of Britain.

Fire service deputy chief officer Stuart Stevens said: “Any permanent changes now or in the future will only be made following full engagement and consultation with all our stakeholders, including the FBU.

“Like all public services, we are operating in a challenging financial period and require to save at least £36m across the next four years.”