Politicians lead from the front, award themselves a HUGE rise without any justification, everyone else wants a piece of the cake, too many Midland Bankers at the top, what we want is all firemen seconded to the armed forces on Squaddie Rates of pay that way when the balloon goes up 'orf to Iraq wiv em' and let the Squaddies have the REAL Fire Engines to fight fire. No one deserves a 40% rise, not politicians, firemen and certainly not NANCY BOY FOOTBALLERS!