Question: Your members are currently campaigning over pay in the fire service. What is the current position?

Andy Gilchrist: The current position is that fire fighters who are acknowledged by the government's own audit commission for providing a truly tremendous service believe that they're justified in claiming £30,000-a-year for a qualified fire fighter.

Our employers have so far failed to give any willingness to meet that demand. We've got some meetings planned but the ball is very much in their court.

Question: What will happen if you don't get the deal you want?

Andy Gilchrist: We're intent, as far as possible, to avoid any unnecessary confrontation. We're acutely aware of the service we provide but we have made it clear that if we don't get the issue of pay resolved we are prepared to recall our conference and regrettably we will recommend taking industrial action.

Question: The FBU has unanimously agreed to ballot for strike action if the employers refuse to give it to you. How do you feel about the army being brought in to take over in that situation?

Andy Gilchrist: It's obvious to anybody that the fire service is such an extraordinarily impressive service in this country that replacing it with the army or anyone else is wholly unsatisfactory and potentially extremely dangerous.

That's why we're saying to the employers 'let's have a serious response to our pay claim'. Fire fighters up and down the UK believe they are worth £30,000-a-year. If our employers don't think that we are then they ought to tell us how much we are worth.

We don't seek out to embarrass the government but ministers were full of platitudes at the Paddington and Potters Bar rail disasters. What we're saying is 'don't praise us, pay us'.

Question: The FBU is characterised as being a hard left union. Is that a fair portrayal?

Andy Gilchrist: I'm not into those sorts of tags. I think it's highly inaccurate. What we are, and always have been, is an extremely democratic union. We're an extremely progressive union; we've either led or been in the middle of the improvements in the fire service since the Second World War. Because we stand up and won't be walked over, some people describe it as hard left but I don't think it's appropriate.

Question: There have been a lot of predictions of public sector workers striking this summer. Are the unions become more militant again? Andy Gilchrist: I think what public sector unions are doing, and us included, is representing the aspirations of their members. It's nothing more sinister than that. After some 20 years of chronic under-funding of all public services, what people are now saying is: 'look, we fought long and hard to get a Labour government in. It's five, six years on now and you're still not looking after the interests of the many millions of people that helped put you there'.

Question: How do you feel about Tony Blair's relationship with business and the unions? Does business get a better deal?

Andy Gilchrist: I think unquestionably it does. I'm not one of those people who believe the prime minister shouldn't be doing business with business. Obviously that's important for the economy and the well being of the nation but I'd like him to look after some of the Labour Party's members in the same way the Conservative Party looks after their people.

If you fight to put people in power, and we did over a long period of time, then you do expect them to represent your interests. Big business doesn't give money to political parties for any other reason.

We, and many public sector unions, fought to get a Labour government because we expected it to look after our interests. It's about decent public services that are properly funded and looking after workers interests and their rights.

Question: The RMT has taken a tough stance on how it funds Labour MPs. Do you sympathise with their course of action?

Andy Gilchrist: I certainly do. Let me be clear. We will not be giving money to any particular prospective or existing Labour Party candidate that doesn't actually indicate a clear support for the type of policies that the TUC and the unions such as ourselves, and the RMT, are involved in.

If MPs want to write and say 'we don't think that fire fighters are worth £30,000-a-year' then don't write again and ask for money to get re-elected. Simple as that.

Question: Tony Blair received a very warm welcome by the fire fighters of New York. Would your members give him a similar welcome?

Andy Gilchrist: We'd give him a respectful welcome, as our people are decent citizens. I have to say, when we spoke to New York fire fighters - when they were being heaped with the accolades and the praise - they simply said to us 'we were just doing our job'.

I think what Tony Blair ought to recognise is the truly tremendous job Britain's fire fighters do on a daily basis. We're a little bit tired of the platitudes and the praise, the pats on the back and the testimonials at the scene of every disaster. We've got fire fighters that are claiming the working families tax credit. Some of them can't afford a decent holiday for their kids and struggle to buy them their school uniforms. That's a national disgrace.

Andy Gilchrist: People are having to travel hundreds of miles to work in London fire stations. Being paid £21,000-a-year for risking your life is no longer acceptable.

Question: Fire services in London in the past have been forced to cut fire tenders to meet pension commitments. Has the problem been solved by the government?

Andy Gilchrist: What they've done is privatise the London fire engines. You've got a situation where the London Fire Brigade doesn't own a single fire engine which I think is a crazy situation. Under the PFI arrangements we'll be paying for those engines for years and it's going to cost us millions.

It's not just a London problem; the Highlands and Islands service requires £26 million to bring it up to the Home Office's own standards. What are they going to do?

They're not going to find the £26 million, they're going to spend £106 million in a PFI scheme. It's absolutely crackers. The economics don't add up.

I understand there's a problem but in order to solve it they're prepared to go to private companies to spend £80 million in mortgage payments.