England's fire and rescue services could save £200 million a year if they were more efficient, according to a report.

General secretary of the Fire Brigades Union Matt Wrack said the independent review into the services was "just a fig leaf for slashing our fire and rescue service to bits".

David Cameron has promised to protect frontline services. That has been exposed as a lie over the past three years as the fire service has faced the biggest cuts in its history.

It is not just the Fire Brigades Union warning about this. Increasingly others in the fire service, including chief officers, are concerned over our ability to deliver this essential service.

Fire stations are being closed and fire engines are being axed. Last year alone a further 1,200 firefighter jobs were cut.

All these cuts mean a poorer service for the public. They mean waiting longer for a fire engine if you have a fire or other emergency. Ken Knight is attempting to bury all these facts in order to justify further cuts in the Government's forthcoming spending review.