The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Corbyn links tower to austerity Tories shout ‘shame’ as Labour leader warns of funding cuts threat to safety
Jeremy Corbyn warned the Grenfell Tower tragedy has “exposed the disastrous effect of austerity”.
The Labour leader faced shouts of “shame” and “apologise” from Tory backbenchers as he launched a furious attack on government spending policy during the first prime minister’s questions session of the new parliament.
Theresa May replied by noting the cladding of tower blocks began under the government of Tony Blair, adding parties should “come together” to find out what has gone wrong and how it can be prevented in future.
After he questioned the prime minister about the Grenfell fire and the government response, Mr Corbyn focused on spending cuts.
Speaker John Bercow initially had to intervene after the opening words of Mr Corbyn’s question provoked loud shouts from the Tory benches. Mr Corbyn said: “I was simply making the point, which seems to have upset a lot of members opposite, that when you cut local authority budgets by 40% we all pay a price in public safety.”
Mr Corbyn went on: “Fewer inspectors, fewer building control inspectors, fewer planning inspectors – we all pay a price. What the tragedy of Grenfell Tower has exposed is the disastrous effect of austerity.”
Mr Corbyn faced further heckling from Tory MPs, before adding: “This disregard for working-class communities, the terrible consequences of deregulation and cutting corners, I urge the prime minister to come up with the resources
“Parties should come together to find out what has gone wrong”
needed to test and remove cladding, retrofit sprinklers, properly fund the fire service and the police so that all our communities can truly feel safe in their own homes. This disaster must be a wake-up call.”
Mrs May said the cladding of tower blocks did not start under her government or the coalition government, adding: “The cladding of tower blocks began under the Blair government. (Mr Corbyn) talks about local authority resources and talks about changes to the regulation.
“In 2005 it was a Labour government that introduced the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order which changed the requirement to inspect a building on fire safety from the local fire authority – which was usually the fire brigade – to a responsible person.
“The legislation governing fire safety in tower blocks, and this was commented on by the Lakanal House report into that fire, it criticised that 2005 order that was put in place by a Labour government.”
Mr Bercow intervened again to allow Mrs May to be heard over shouts from the Labour benches.
The PM added: “Laws which took effect in 2006 ended the practice of routine fire service inspections, passing the responsibility to councils. This should be an issue that, across this House, we recognise is a matter that has been developing over decades, is a matter that has occurred under governments of both colours, under councils of all political persuasions, and is something which I would hope we would say we should come together and ensure that we get to the answers of why this has happened over many years, what has gone wrong and how do we stop it from happening again in future.”