The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has responded to today's investigation by the National Audit Office (NAO) into the UK's flammable cladding scandal, condemning the government's action removing cladding as "too slow and too weak". The union has called on the government to requisition any building that the owner will not make safe.
Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said:
“This report confirms much of what we already know – government action removing flammable cladding has been too slow and too weak. Buildings far beyond those covered in the Building Safety Programme are at risk, while fire services do not have the investment needed to enforce new safety regulations.
“It should shame this government that they are now not expected to remove the same cladding that was on Grenfell from high-rise homes until a full two years after their own deadline and five years since the tragedy itself.
“The coronavirus pandemic is no excuse – the pace of cladding remediation has been glacial from the start. Even without the months lost, their deadline was likely little more than a PR gimmick.
“Attempts to make building owners pay for remediation have clearly failed. The government should now requisition any building that the owner will not make safe.”
