Boris blasts Labour’s ‘outrageous politicking’ over blaze

BORIS Johnson yesterday accused Labour of ‘playing political games’ by trying to blame the Grenfell Tower disaster on fire service cuts.

The Foreign Secretary – and ex-London mayor – criticised Labour’s ‘outrageous politicking’ and said the party had ‘attacked’ the emergency services.

His comments ratcheted up the war of words between the Government and Labour.

Earlier Sadiq Khan, his Labour successor as mayor, released a public letter to Theresa May in which he criticised the ‘lack of information’ given to survivors and families of the missing, and demanded a ‘swifter response’.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell also weighed in, calling on the Government to lift a borrowing cap to give councils more funds to ensure they meet safety standards. He accused ministers of failing to learn lessons from previous fire tragedies.

Yesterday, footage from 2013 emerged of then-mayor Mr Johnson telling a Labour politician to ‘get stuffed’ after he was questioned over cuts. As mayor, he oversaw the closure of ten fire stations, the loss of 552 firefighters’ jobs and the removal of 27 fire engines.

The video, which has been widely shared on social media in the wake of the fire, was recorded in a meeting of the London Assembly during a heated debate on frontline services. Labour Assembly member Andrew Dismore can be heard asking Mr Johnson: ‘How can cutting fire stations, cutting fire engines, cutting firefighters’ posts not be a reduction in fire coverage?’

Mr Johnson replies: ‘Because we are improving fire coverage by continuing to reduce deaths from fire and continuing to reduce the incidence of fire.’

Mr Dismore then exclaims: ‘You’ve lied to the people of London in your election.’

Mr Johnson responds, ‘Oh, get stuffed,’ before apologising for the comment.

London Labour MP Wes Streeting told the Daily Mirror: ‘The words “get stuffed” pretty much sum up Boris Johnson’s attitude to all the concerns that were put to him about cuts to police and fire service while he was mayor.’

Mr Johnson reacted by writing on Facebook: ‘There has sadly been some political game playing about the terrible fire in London.

‘I find it unbelievable that Labour are suggesting that this tragedy was somehow caused by fire service cuts. The fire brigade was there astonishingly quickly and performed with great bravery.’

He continued: ‘Sadiq Khan conducted his own review of the London fire safety plan. If he felt the provision in Kensington was deficient he had ample budget to change it.

‘Any attack on emergency services performance is outrageous politicking by Labour.’

Earlier Mr Khan posted his letter online, saying: ‘Residents feel the Government and local council haven’t done enough to help them or provide answers to their increasingly urgent questions.’

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid also came under fire yesterday. He vowed to do whatever it takes to prevent another tragedy – even if meant rehousing thousands.

But under pressure from John Humphrys on BBC Radio 4’s Today show, he was unable to say how many tower blocks were at risk. There are thought to be hundreds of blocks with similar external cladding to that on Grenfell Tower, which is thought to have fuelled the blaze.

‘I find it unbelievable’