FBU urges faster action on “disgraceful” cladding crisis

The government has today announced a plan for the removal of unsafe cladding. It comes as the House of Commons debates Phase 2 of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

Under the plan, all 18m+ buildings must have been remediated by 2029, and all 11m+ buildings must have a date for remediation.

Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said:
“It is now more than seven years since the Grenfell Tower fire, an entirely preventable disaster which took the lives of 72 people. Residents and firefighters had been warning of the dangers of flammable cladding for years before it took place.

“We are still examining Labour’s plan to resolve the cladding crisis, and they have only been in power for five months. But it is an utter disgrace that many millions of people are on course to be left living in unsafe buildings for at least 12 years after the Grenfell Tower fire. We urge the government to speed this process up.

“The building safety crisis must be addressed urgently, with accelerated action on cladding, investment in local government and the fire and rescue service, and an end to the privatisation of building control.”