In 1996, an MP was paid £31,687. Within five years of a Labour government, MPs' pay increased to £55,118, a hike of 74 per cent with a pension, an allowance increase and, just the other day, a decrease in working hours.

People seem to forget that medical consultants declined a 25 per cent pay increase recently because it would have drastically affected their private work and made them work more in the NHS.

Mr Blair, do you really think the public are that stupid? Pay the firefighters their justified claim. The very least they deserve is £30,000.

-M Rogers, Bath Road, Worthing