Tony Blair has warned giving in to firefighters' demands for a 40% pay rise would force up mortgage interest rates and create "havoc" across the public sector.

Mr Blair said there is "no way" that any government could give in to such a demand.

And he urged the Fire Brigades Union to call off a series of strikes due to be begin in eight days' time, and to take part in a review of firefighters' pay and conditions.

Mr Blair said: "We hope, even now, that the unions can accept that if they have got a problem with wanting a new pay formula, we will look at that.

"We have got an independent review carrying out its work, but they can't come to us and say 'We want a new formula, we're not going to co-operate with your review and in the meantime you have got to give us a 40% pay rise'. No government could yield to that without putting up people's interest rates and their mortgage rates and causing havoc across the public sector, because other people in the public sector would say 'If they are getting 40%, I want 40%'."

Mr Blair acknowledged that the army Green Goddesses, on standby to provide emergency cover if firefighters do strike, would not be able to provide the same level of protection as that offered by fire brigades.

He said: "We will do everything we possibly can to make sure that the public is properly protected, but of course, it is a situation where we are not able to provide the full service that we would be able to if the firefighters were carrying out their duties.

"Let me make one thing very clear - we don't want a confrontation. We have done everything we possibly can to avoid it.

"But in the meantime, they are saying that they are not going to talk to this independent review, but file a wage claim that is 40% or more.

"We have tried everything we can to resolve this. We want to resolve it in an amicable way, but I think the public understands that we can't give in to demands that on no basis could any government give in to."