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Boris Johnson makes statement to MPs about Grenfell fire inquiry report – live news Boris Johnson makes statement to MPs about Grenfell fire inquiry report – live news
(32 minutes later)
Corbyn says, although Boris Johnson spoke about building a beautiful memorial to the victims of the fire, the real memorial will be a properly funded fire service and having people living in safe buildings.
Corbyn says the night of 14 June 2017 will never be forgotten. And he pays tribute to the Kensington MP, Labour’s Emma Dent Coad, who had to respond to the fire only days after being elected to parliament.
Corbyn says government cuts have degraded the fire service. And Boris Johnson was involved when he was mayor of London.
As mayor of London, the now prime minister was at the forefront of the cuts to our fire service. In the eight years that he was mayor, the London fire brigade was required to make gross savings of over £100m, cutting of 27 fire appliances, 552 firefighters, 324 support staff, two fire rescue units, three training appliances and closing ten London fire stations.
Corbyn says it is “disgraceful” that the “stay put” policy has not been reviewed.
He says concerns have been raised about this for years, including by the Fire Brigades Union, but the government has dragged its feet.
Corbyn says firefighters were not to blame for the fire.
While this phase of the report makes criticism of the London fire brigade we should remember; it was not firefighters that deregulated building safety standards. It wasn’t firefighters who ignored the concerns of tenants. It wasn’t firefighters who ignored a coroner’s report and failed to put sprinklers in high rise blocks and it wasn’t firefighters who put flammable cladding on Grenfell Tower.
Corbyn says we are not seeing urgent action from government.
Councils know that, if they spend money removing cladding, they may not get compensation from government, and other services may suffer.
Grenfell Tower would not have happened to wealthy Londoners, he says.
Corbyn criticises the government for failing to learn the lessons from previous high-rise fires, particularly the Lakanal House fire and the Shirley Towers fire.
He criticises the fact that some Grenfell Tower survivors are still living in temporary accommodation.
Labour’s David Lammy says many people believe what happened at Grenfell Tower amounted to corporate manslaughter.
Corbyn says he hopes ministers will have heard the point Lammy made. There has be be justice, he says. He says it may be for the courts to find out if people installed cladding that they knew to be dangerous. He says the government should not stand in the way of that.
Labour’s Jim Fitzpatrick says many in the media have been targeting the fire brigade. They should be waiting for the big picture to emerge, he says.
Corbyn thanks Fitzpatrick for what he said. He says Fitzpatrick is a former fireman. He says the media should be “cautious” about throwing blame around, because there is another report to come.
Corbyn says he has been on a number of the walks for Grenfell.
He has been on many marches on his life, he says. But he has never been on anything as poignant as this – people walking silently past what is left of the Grenfell Tower.
He says, as the march went passed the fire station, it was clear how much respect people have for the firefighters.
Jeremy Corbyn is speaking now.
He starts by thanking Johnson for the serious tone of his speech.
He says many of the survivors are in the gallery watching. For them, this is another day for horrid memories, he says.
He says he remembers visiting the tower himself afterwards.
This was a tragedy, he says. But it was an avoidable tragedy, he says.
All the survivors deserve a new home in the UK, he says.
Johnson says the government will continue to support the affected families “long after the television cameras are gone”.
He says it will ensure a beautiful and appropriate memorial is built to the families.
The government will also ensure that regulations are tightened up in line with the recommendations.
He says he is personally committed to ensuring that the lessons do not get forgotten.
The survivors had every reason to hide away. But instead they have fought for the truth, and dedicated their lives to ensuring that those who died will always be remembered.
He says the truth will out, justice will be done, and Grenfell Tower, and the people who called it home, will never be forgotten.
Johnson says the report will be “harrowing” for survivors.Johnson says the report will be “harrowing” for survivors.
But he says he hopes it will show them that Sir Martin Moore-Bick is determined to get at the truth.But he says he hopes it will show them that Sir Martin Moore-Bick is determined to get at the truth.
Johnson says he has never met any firefighter anything less than totally committed to public safety.Johnson says he has never met any firefighter anything less than totally committed to public safety.
He says he will ensure the lessons of Grenfell Tower are accepted.He says he will ensure the lessons of Grenfell Tower are accepted.
Where Moore-Bick says the government should take responsibility for fire safety, the government will legislate.Where Moore-Bick says the government should take responsibility for fire safety, the government will legislate.
And he says the government will accept all the report’s recommendations for central government.And he says the government will accept all the report’s recommendations for central government.
Johnson says it is easy for MPs to have 20/20 hindsight.Johnson says it is easy for MPs to have 20/20 hindsight.
But they do not have to run into fires like firefighters, he says.But they do not have to run into fires like firefighters, he says.
Labour’s Rushanara Ali asks if Johnson regrets the cuts the fire services he implemented as London mayor. And does he accept that the regulators have had their powers reduced by the government.Labour’s Rushanara Ali asks if Johnson regrets the cuts the fire services he implemented as London mayor. And does he accept that the regulators have had their powers reduced by the government.
Johnson says the fire service arrived on the scene within minutes. He says today’s report does not make any criticism about resources.Johnson says the fire service arrived on the scene within minutes. He says today’s report does not make any criticism about resources.
Johnson says the fire presented an unprecedented challenge for the fire service.Johnson says the fire presented an unprecedented challenge for the fire service.
He says Moore-Bick does not question the actions of any of the rank and file firefighters at Grenfell Tower. Moore-Bick said they showed courage and “selfless devotion to duty” as they faced choking smoke and temperature up to 1,000 degrees, he says.He says Moore-Bick does not question the actions of any of the rank and file firefighters at Grenfell Tower. Moore-Bick said they showed courage and “selfless devotion to duty” as they faced choking smoke and temperature up to 1,000 degrees, he says.
But the report says the firefighters were faced with a situation for which they had not been properly prepared, he says.But the report says the firefighters were faced with a situation for which they had not been properly prepared, he says.
He says the report says there was a serious failure of stated policies.He says the report says there was a serious failure of stated policies.
The failure to order an evacuation of the fire after it was clear the fire was out of control probably led to the deaths of people who could have been saved, the report says.The failure to order an evacuation of the fire after it was clear the fire was out of control probably led to the deaths of people who could have been saved, the report says.
Johnson says fire procedure in blocks of flats is based on the “stay put” policy. In most circumstances this is the best policy. But at Grenfell Tower that was not the case. By 1.30am it was clear compartmentalisation (the theory that a fire will be contained) had failed. By 1.50am it was not too late to evacuate. But senior officers could not conceive of a situation in which compartmentalisation might not work.Johnson says fire procedure in blocks of flats is based on the “stay put” policy. In most circumstances this is the best policy. But at Grenfell Tower that was not the case. By 1.30am it was clear compartmentalisation (the theory that a fire will be contained) had failed. By 1.50am it was not too late to evacuate. But senior officers could not conceive of a situation in which compartmentalisation might not work.
By the time an evacuation was ordered, the tower’s single staircase was filled with impenetrable smoke.By the time an evacuation was ordered, the tower’s single staircase was filled with impenetrable smoke.
Johnson says the report is clear that the cladding was responsible for the fire escalating in the way that it did. It was because of the cladding that a routine fire ended up killing so many people.Johnson says the report is clear that the cladding was responsible for the fire escalating in the way that it did. It was because of the cladding that a routine fire ended up killing so many people.
He says Moore-Bick is clear that the cladding that was installed contravened building regulations.He says Moore-Bick is clear that the cladding that was installed contravened building regulations.
Labour’s David Lammy asks what the government is being done to help people who are still living in flats with this cladding.Labour’s David Lammy asks what the government is being done to help people who are still living in flats with this cladding.
Johnson says the government has allocated money to remove this cladding. He accepts that progress on getting rid of it has not been as fast as he would like. All buildings owned by central or local government have had this removed, or at least have had the removal work scheduled.Johnson says the government has allocated money to remove this cladding. He accepts that progress on getting rid of it has not been as fast as he would like. All buildings owned by central or local government have had this removed, or at least have had the removal work scheduled.
But in the private sector progress is slower, he says.But in the private sector progress is slower, he says.
Matthew Offord, a Conservative, asks what will happen to owners who do not remove the cladding by the June 2020 deadline.Matthew Offord, a Conservative, asks what will happen to owners who do not remove the cladding by the June 2020 deadline.
Johnson says the government is planning to name them. The people in those blocks are safe, because of 24 hour patrols. But the government needs to go further, he says. He says the government will take action to force owners to remove this cladding.Johnson says the government is planning to name them. The people in those blocks are safe, because of 24 hour patrols. But the government needs to go further, he says. He says the government will take action to force owners to remove this cladding.
Johnson says this stage of the inquiry looked at what happened.
The next stage will look at why it happened. That will consider, among other things, why concerns raised by residents were ignored.
Johnson says the government will allow time for MPs to debate the report at a later point, when they have had time to read it.
Johnson says for too long those living in Grenfell Tower had their voices ignored – before the fire, and after.
He says when firefighters were first called to Grenfell Tower, after a fire started by a faulty fridge, they thought it was a routine call. But the fire expanded rapidly. Within 45 minutes it was clear that the inferno was out of control.
He says there were almost 300 people in the tower, 72 of whom died.
Many people who lived together died together, he says.
And those who survived saw everything they owned reduced to dust and ash, he says.
Johnson says Theresa May ordered an inquiry soon afterwards. She was determined that the survivors would not have to wait years for justice.
Today Sir Martin Moore-Bick has published the first report from his inquiry, Johnson says. He says it is almost 1,000 pages long.
The full report is available here.
And an executive summary is here (pdf).
Boris Johnson is now opening a three-hour debate on the first report from the Grenfell Tower.
Our main story about the report is here.
Grenfell Tower fire survivors welcome damning inquiry report
John Bercow is now thanking his staff, and his wife and children for their support. His voice briefly cracks with emotion, and afterwards there is a brief round of applause.
He announces that Tricia Hillas, the canon pastor at St Paul’s Cathedral, has been appointed as the next Speaker’s chaplain. He says he is delighted that she will be the second BAME person to take up that role. She will succeed Rose Hudson-Wilkin, who has been appointed bishop of Dover.
Richard Benyon, a Conservative, says Boris Johnson once said there was more chance of his being decapitated by a frisbee than becoming PM. He urges Johnson to continue the UK’s strong record on ocean conservation.
Johnson praises Benyon’s own record on this topic.
John Bercow admits he is “stretching time” but he is going to take two more MPs.
He calls Labour’s Ronnie Campbell, who starts by saying Bercow is the best Speaker he has seen in his time in parliament. Campbell asks about the Waspi women (women who have lost out by increases in the state pension age for women, which were not well advertised in advance).
Johnson says he is looking at what more can be done. But it is a very difficult issue, he says.
From the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg
Goodness me.... this PMQs which is Bercow’s last, has gone on for more than an hour - it’s a like a leaving do where no one feels they can go first in case they get into trouble from the boss
We’ve got six more weeks of this. Sometimes PMQs is used as an opportunity for a forensic analysis of a particular issue, but today, more than ever, it was dominated by Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn rehearsing their election sloganising. And neither leader seems to have an overwhelming advantage.
Corbyn focused on the NHS in all his questions. Traditionally this has been Labour’s strongest electoral territory and Corbyn had Johnson on the defensive throughout. His arguments about NHS underfunding and increasing waiting lists were more persuasive than Johnson’s “all is fine” bravado, and Johnson was confounded when Corbyn started talking about an individual case, because Corbyn sounded more emphatic than the PM.
Corbyn also made it clear that he is going to spend much of the time claiming that a Johnson Brexit would open the door to the further marketisation and privatisation of the NHS. Whether this is wholly true is contestable, but it is a fear that registers with people, and may work well on the doorstep.
Johnson was weak on the actual details of how the NHS works. But his attack lines against Corbyn – accusing him of sweeping anti-Americanism, and wholesale hostility to the involvement of private firms in the NHS (even though many NHS services are privately provided anyway – were much more powerful than anything Theresa May threw at Corbyn, and delivered with relish.
At the end of the exchanges Corbyn and Johnson both segued into wider themes. Corbyn’s line about the election providing a once in a lifetime opportunity for change resonated. But it wasn’t as catchy as Johnson’s argument about Labour offering two referendums, which was just about true enough to register and stick as a key election message. (Labour are certainly promising a second Brexit referendum, which would fill some of the electorate with dread. Corbyn does not favour a second Scottish independence referendum, but he has not 100% ruled one out, and a minority Labour government dependent on SNP support would probably end up agreeing to one.)
Johnson’s most lively attack lines were probably those he delivered against the SNP. It is widely assumed that the Tories will lose most of their seats in Scotland, and Ian Blackford had a good line when he said Johnson would be welcome in the country because he boosted SNP support. But, even if this is true, Johnson seemed to enjoy the chance to bang on about “borders at Berwick”. (See 12.35pm.)
Labour’s Karen Buck asks how Johnson can justify spending £2bn on no-deal Brexit planning.
Johnson claims that under Labour’s Brexit plan the UK would have to spend an extra £1bn a month to stay in the EU.
(This is misleading. Because of the transition, even if the UK were leaving the EU at the end of the month, it would still be contributing to the EU as it is now.)