John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor,
commenting on
the Grenfell Tower fire, said:
“The
tragic fire that occurred on Grenfell Tower must never be allowed to happen
again. The lessons of Camberwell, Shepherds Bush and Southampton have not been
learned, and it is the responsibility of government to provide solutions.
“The
Government must now as a matter of urgency lift the housing revenue account
borrowing cap to free councils to undertake the urgent retrofitting work
required on all existing housing stock found not to meet required safety
standards.
“Councils
must also be given the power, as Labour’s housing manifesto pledges to do, to
borrow to invest in council housing on the scale necessary to allow all those
living in homes deemed to be unsafe to be properly rehoused.
“The
next Labour Government will take any and all steps required to address the
critical housing crisis in our country. Labour have pledged to invest to build
over a million new homes over the course of the next parliament. Within five
years, our manifesto commits to building at least 100,000 council and housing
association homes a year for genuinely affordable rent or sale.”
Ends
Follow this news feed: Labour