LIBERAL Democrat MP David Ward is under fire for voting to keep the firefighters’ pensions deal – despite earlier calling for it to be scrapped.

But the Bradford East MP denied he had carried out a U-turn, insisting key changes had been made which meant firefighters were now getting “an excellent deal”.

The row blew up after Labour’s motion to kill the pension regulations was defeated by a coalition of Conservative and Liberal Democrats, on Monday evening.

The vote was lost despite accusations that English firefighters forced to retire before 60 will lose more than twice as much of their retirement pots as in Scotland and Wales.

Before the vote, Mr Ward was among 21 Lib Dem MPs who signed a parliamentary motion calling for the regulations to “be annulled”.

Explaining his change of mind, Mr Ward said the government made a key "concession" that no-one unable to work past 55 would lose their job, or – if they chose to retire – their pension.

He said: “If firefighters are unable to pass their fitness test, there is a guarantee that they will be found alternative work, or that they won’t lose their pension entitlement.

“With that concession forced out of the Government, the firefighters have managed to get an excellent deal.”

But Gerry Sutcliffe, Labour MP for Bradford South, said: “David Ward needs to explain why he didn’t vote for further negotiations and instead voted for firefighters to lose 21 per cent of their pensions through no fault of their own. And he needs to say where the alternative jobs are.”