'Is New Labour trying to direct a spaghetti Western or run the UK?'

Andy Gilchrist, the FBU leader, attacks the Government with rousing speech calling for 'real' Labour

This is an edited report of a speech by Andy Gilchrist, leader of the Fire Brigades Union, to the Socialist Campaign Group in Manchester on Saturday.

My first comments are directed to the many members of the FBU in this room today and indeed beyond. Eight days of a national strike. You went out together, you stayed out together and you have gone back together. I am so proud to be a representative of you people here today.

"As we found out, you can't predict much in this old world of ours ... I will say this. Every single one of the representatives will do everything we can to support the campaign that is being led and is being run and will be won by the membership of this union.

"I was only trying to reflect this morning what the New Labour Government is trying to do. Whether, with its hysterical rantings, it's trying to run the country or direct some spaghetti Western.

"The cat is out of the bag. In order to protect the indefensible public pay policy, they are quite prepared to play with people's lives. Ten thousand fire fighters equates to the entire fire cover in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland put together. That is what they're prepared to do to this fire service and we will not let them. The public support has been totally magnificent.

"We do not take it for granted but it is overwhelming and at times can almost bring you to tears. I say this to the pollsters – take off the ear muffs, take off the blindfolds ... and talk to some real people.

"I naturally have got special words of thanks for many in the trade union movement. Rank-and-file members of the trade union, elected officials and, yes, general secretaries. And I include the support we have received from John Monks, general secretary of the TUC.

"It is a fact there are New Labour MPs who have been prepared to put their heads over the parapet. That has been worth waiting for. I'm just so pleased we have still got brave and principled MPs in the Labour Party.

"This party for decades has welcomed a contribution and a different approach and voices of people who may not always agree with the leaders.

"I think we need to get back to the old way of debating democratic politics inside the Labour Party.

"I am quite happy, quite prepared ... to work to replace New Labour with real Labour. I have no nostalgic romanticism about Old Labour but there are real Labour values built on real social progress, on real justice for working-class people and indeed for fairness for all.

"It's disgraceful to say that for people in this country who are prepared to risk their lives to save others you can't find any extra money but you can find at least a billion to bomb innocent men, women and children in Iraq in a futile effort to bomb them into democracy.

"I think we need to have a debate about that link [with the Labour Party] and I think we ought to have it in the trade union movement, with or without them, because that's how they treat people around them as well.

"Thank God there might be a time after New Labour. After 48 hours on shift fighting fires, it is not sensible for safety reasons or in the interest of quality of life to ask someone to do another 48 hours – and not at the expense of somebody else's job. There is a case, I believe, for more firefighters on duty. We will stick together as we have done this week. We will welcome support from all quarters of this movement."