A VIDEO clip showing former London Mayor Boris Johnson telling a Labour rival to ‘get stuffed’ while defending cuts to fire services is being widely shared online in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster.
Under Johnson’s tenure as mayor, 10 London fire stations were closed and 27 fire engines removed, despite his previous promises not to make cuts.
The clip from 2013 shows Labour Assembly leader Andrew Dismore asking Johnson why he’d reneged on the vow.
He asks: “How can cutting fire stations, cutting fire engines and cutting firefighters post not be a reduction in fire cover? You’ve lied to the people of London.”
Johnson responded: “Because we’re improving fire coverage, as I said several times, by continuing to reduce deaths from fire and continuing to reduce the incidents of fire. That is the name of the game.”
Dismore then told him he had “lied to the people of London in your election” to which Johnson replied: “Get stuffed.”
The cuts were implemented in 2014 and, after yesterday’s towerblock blaze, questions are being asked about whether or not lives were put at risk by the decisions made.
Current mayor Sadiq Khan recently ordered a review of the city’s fire brigade, concluded in November 2016.
He said at the time: “I wanted to be assured that our capital’s fire service has the resources it needs to cope in the event of a fire or a major emergency and am encouraged to see that despite heavy cuts, the London Fire Brigade continues to do a fantastic job.
“However, we cannot be complacent. I will be carefully considering these recommendations and doing everything in my power to ensure that every step is taken to keep London as prepared and safe as possible.”
My thoughts and prayers are with everyone caught up in the horrific towerblock fire in London.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) June 14, 2017
Prime Minister Theresa May has ordered a full public inquiry into the Grenfell disaster, which has killed at least 17 people.
After visiting emergency teams at the scene of the blaze in west London, Mrs May said a proper public investigation was needed to establish what happened.
Speaking at 10 Downing Street shortly after her return from the site, she said: “We need to ensure that this terrible tragedy is properly investigated.”
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has also announced that regulations north of the border will be reviewed following the incident.
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