A WEEK ago, in the run-up to the current eight-day firefighters' strike, we called for reality to dawn and common sense to prevail.

Since then, reality has retreated into the far distance and common sense has gone with it.

As every day goes by, the crisis facing the country and its Government deepens, and it is now hard to see a breakthrough before the New Year. Indeed, an escalation on a hugely damaging scale is becoming a distinct possibility.

At a time when all efforts should be directed at bringing both sides back to the negotiating table, it seems deliberate attempts are being made to ensure that does not happen.

John Prescott's timing in raising the spectre of 11,000 job cuts as part of the Government's cherished modernisation agenda is questionable to say the least. Why now for goodness sake?

Modernisation has always been central to the dispute but its definition is now more crucial than ever.

There is a need for modernisation and greater flexibility, but asking a union to accept manpower reductions on that scale - albeit through natural wastage - is as unrealistic as asking the Government to sanction a 40 per cent pay rise.

And while we're on the subject of reality checks, how about Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of Amicus, suggesting that, in return for treating the firefighters as a special case, the Government would be given a guarantee that no union would use the settlement as a basis for their own pay claims.

Oh really Mr Simpson? So everyone else working in the public sector - including those whose jobs are every bit as important as the firefighters - wouldn't be stirred into fighting for a slice of the cake that was just as big? Pull the other one, it's got alarm bells and blue flashing lights on.

It is in all our interests that the firefighters' dispute is settled quickly. But that can only happen when the key players return from the other planets on which they are clearly living and get real.