THE MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset, Mr Liddell-Grainger, has a lot of cheek to campaign alongside residents of Porlock to save our fire station.

I refer to the cuts in resources by the Somerset and Devon Fire and Rescue Authority, which includes potentially closing our fire station at Porlock.

Savings of a total £8.6m are being sought across the board by our authority, in the possible shape of cutting the present total of eight fire stations and their 17 appliances, to a 'rump' of just six 'roving' engines.

READ MORE: Cuts could see Somerset fire station close - and cuts at others

This proposal, which gives six possible options, has not been implemented yet and is being presented 'for public consultation'. But, against the present climate of Conservative government 24% cut-backs to our local services of all kinds - social care, libraries, children's centres etc, it's difficult to be optimistic.

I write because how can our MP, on the one hand, have voted with the Government to make these financial cuts, and yet on another, campaign to stop the reductions in services being made by the fire authority who have had their funding stripped back because of said cuts?

READ MORE: MP slams possible closure of Somerset fire station

Porlock needs a fire station as it serves such rural areas across Exmoor and I applaud all the efforts being made to save it, but I'm afraid the hypocrisy of Mr Liddell-Grainger is too much to stomach.

In order to support the campaign to oppose the closure, the local Liberal Democrats are running a petition against all cuts to fire and rescue services in the Somerset West & Taunton area: www.tdld.co.uk/fire-services-petition

SCILLA BARNEY
Porlock