The dispute has been going on since November

Andy Gilchrist, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said the government had never asked what the union's response would be to strikes taking place in the event of war.

Firefighters across the UK are due to walk out on strike for 24 hours next Thursday in their long running dispute over pay.

Government sources have denied a newspaper report that the strike would be banned because of fears that public safety would be put at risk.

Cover 'stretched'

Mr Gilchrist said: "If war really is as imminent as the government suggests we would expect them to ask for the discussions as a matter of urgency."

Thousands of troops will again provide emergency cover for firemen and women, with the help of ageing military Green Goddess vehicles.

Military resources are likely to be stretched because of the Iraqi conflict.

THE NEXT STRIKE Thursday 20 March 24 hours from 1800 GMT Subject to endorsement from union members at a meeting on Wednesday 19 March

The FBU said there had been regular reports that legal action was being threatened but the union pointed out that very little was ever said on the record.

Mr Gilchrist made it clear that if the government did threaten legal action over the strikes, the union would contest it in court.

He pointed out that during the recent strikes the union agreed a so-called "gold command" of how striking firefighters would respond to emergencies, including terrorist attacks.

The agreement included a general recall to duty in the event of a serious incident.

The union's executive will meet on Tuesday and is expected to recommend further strikes after rejecting an offer of 16% over three years linked to big changes in working practices.

'Rubbish'

The recommendation will be put to a recalled National Conference of the union in Brighton on Wednesday, when hundreds of activists are expected to endorse rejection of the pay offer.

The government denied on Sunday suggestions that it was considering whether to ban Thursday's strike.

A spokesman at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister said it was "rubbish " to suggest the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, had been asked to rule on whether the next firefighters' strike was illegal.

He said the Ministry of Defence had enough service personnel to provide cover if industrial action went ahead.

Under 1992 legislation from the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act the attorney general can ban a strike if it "wilfully or maliciously endangers life".