CHIEF Fire Officer Tony McGuirk has sparked outrage after he said a veteran officer’s concerns about the Hughes affair are “drivel”.
Mally Swann – who retired five years ago after a 30-year career – emailed a Fire Authority member saying he thought the service overreacted by sacking Mr Hughes.
The councillor apparently forwarded Mr Swann’s email to CFO McGuirk asking for advice about how to reply. But in a private comment, also sent to Mr Swann, the chief said: “Malcolm is a very long serving union official and activist who retired a while ago and this sort of outpouring of drivel is pretty typical stuff. Why let facts get in the way of a good old whine!! He is clearly wrong in his understanding but we will not be commenting on this matter because Mr Hughes is in the middle of an appeal process and it would be inappropriate to comment.” CFO McGuirk also suggested warning Mr Swann persistent emailing could be a criminal offence.
Mr Swann, 60, who says he was never a union official, said: “I’m disgusted that I’m a Sefton resident and I ask questions and he just passes it up to the chief.
“I would like an apology and to have the inaccuracy corrected.”
A spokesman for MFRS said because the service is in the middle of an appeal process, it would be inappropriate to comment at this time.
