Labour conference demands urgent action to prevent another Grenfell tragedy

Labour Party conference has unanimously passed a motion demanding urgent government action to tackle the building safety crisis in the wake of the damning Grenfell Tower Inquiry report.

The motion, submitted by the Fire Brigades Union, condemns deregulation and austerity as central causes of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

It demands that the Labour government prioritise justice for Grenfell and to begin implementing urgent measures to ensure all homes are safe.

Seven years after the Grenfell Tower fire, half of the 4,600 known buildings of 11 metres or more with unsafe cladding have not started remediation.

Measures outlined in the motion include investing in local government and fire and rescue services, including fire inspectors; ending the privatisation of building control, fire testing and research; and establishing a statutory advisory body, including the FBU, to oversee fire safety policy, research, training and guidance.

Speaking to propose the motion, Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said:  

“Behind all of this, we have had government failures for decades. The mantra was to cut red rape. That meant cutting safety, and that has to end.

“The regulatory system failed, and that paved the way for the disaster of Grenfell Tower.

“The privatisation of BRE has been an utter disaster, and has introduced commercial interests that should not have existed.

“We will not resolve the continuing cladding scandal, which continues to affect millions of people, unless we invest.

“We will not address the causes of the Grenfell Tower fire unless we can repair our public services.”

Wrack also noted the resolution of the motion to create a statutory advisory body to set national standards in the fire and rescue service, and welcomed the engagement from the government on the subject.