TWO major supermarket chains have come under fire for refusing to back a campaign opposing cuts to Canvey’s fire service.

Morrisons and Sainsbury’s have refused to allow councillors from the Canvey Island Independent Party to put up a petition against Essex County Fire and Rescue Service’s plans to make the island’s fire station part-time.

The party has put up petitions in more than 50 stores across the island, including independent stores and chains such as the Co-op and Freshways.

However, management at the two superstores both claimed they did not want to be involved in a party political campaign.

Dave Blackwell, leader of the Canvey Independents, said: “It’s ridiculous, politics has got nothing to do with this, in fact we are all fighting on the same side.

“The Labour Party is against these plans, the borough’s Conservative MP is against them. We are not trying to score political points.

“The joke is we haven’t even put our name on this petition, it’s not like it’s advertising the party.

“These supermarkets take millions of pounds from Canvey shoppers every year. The least they could do is back an important community issue like this.”

The fire service wants to make the Long Road fire station retained, as part of a shake-up of its service throughout the county aimed at saving £10million.

Mr Blackwell said the public response to the petition had been overwhelming, and the party would soon present it to Essex County Council.

He added: “The shops I’ve spoken to said people are queueing out of the door to sign it.

“This issue is not going to go away, people on Canvey are absolutely furious. It’s a shame the supermarkets are only interested in making money and not important local issues. They might need a fire engine one day.”

A spokesman for Sainsbury’s said: “We dedicate the limited space in our stores to registered local charities and other initiatives, like Comic Relief or Active Kids.

“We are politically neutral and this means we feel it would not be appropriate to have this petition in our store.”

A spokesman for Morrisons said the company was looking into the matter.