Just as a counter comment, who the h*ll does he think he is stating that soldiers won't cross picket lines? He's a member of the armed forces, if it's a legal order he'd better do what he's told. If they're ordered to cross them, they d*mned well better.
The police have now stated that they won't either. What is going on in this country? I'm waiting with great interest to find out who "Two Jags" is going to get to do it if the army and police won't.
BBC:
In a separate development, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has said its members will not cross picket lines to take red fire engines for the armed forces to use.
Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon had suggested police could cross picket lines after army chiefs said soldiers would not.
ACPO vice president Chris Fox, the chief constable of Northamptonshire Police, said: "Under the legislative framework currently in effect, police have no part to play in themselves removing red engines from fire stations."
Downing Street insisted the government was prepared to issue instructions to commandeer the red fire engines, but it would not be drawn on how if both the Army and police refused to cross picket lines.
"Precisely who goes through a picket line, should it be necessary, is less important than the fact that it happens," a spokesman said.
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott was due to make a statement to the House of Commons later on Thursday.