END OUR Cladding Scandal (EOCS) and Grenfell United said they were ‘extremely disappointed’ that amendments to the Fire Safety Bill (FSB) were voted down, calling the vote ‘extremely disheartening’.
The FSB’s return to the House of Commons this week had seen over 30 Conservative MPs join other parties in backing amendments to ensure leaseholders ‘will not have to pay for emergency fire safety work’. Earlier this month, Labour brought forward a vote and a list of proposals to parliament that aimed to protect leaseholders from paying for fire safety works.
A cross party debate saw Conservatives join Labour and other parties in ‘urging the government to act’. Conservatives warned their party that ‘not enough was being done’ to help leaseholders, and while developers and manufacturers ‘should be pursued for costs’, they also urged the government to ‘step in immediately to prevent more people being presented with unaffordable bills’.
The vote saw Conservatives ordered to abstain, with remaining MPs voting 263 to 0 to support the ‘non-binding motion’. Conservatives Royston Smith and Stephen McPartland co led the amendment, and ‘could not accept’ the loans proposal the government has made. More recently, their amendment had the backing of 38 Conservative MPs, meaning the government was ‘facing potential defeat’.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson ‘suggested he agreed’ in parliament, insisting that leaseholders ‘should not have to worry about the cost’ of fixing fire risks. The scale of the rebellion had meant that if two more MPs had backed the amendment it would have passed. The announcement earlier this month by the government revealing a five point strategy that aims to ‘provide reassurance to homeowners and confidence to the housing market’ saw Mr Jenrick announce it would fund removal of combustible cladding ‘for all leaseholders in high-rise buildings’ above 18m.
However, the backlash over the plans saw Mr Johnson criticised by his own MPs, including Mr McPartland, who warned the government that 10 Downing Street should take over, and that the Conservatives who signed the amendment showed ‘the level of support’ within the party. He believed the top of the government was ‘worried by the strength of feeling inside the parliamentary party’ as a consequence, and that the exclusive focus on cladding costs ‘doesn’t help most people’.
Ahead of the vote this week, he warned the government that owners could face repair costs of up to £50,000 should the bill not be changed, though it was ‘hinted’ that the government ‘is unlikely to accept’ the amendment. Labour’s shadow policing and fire minister Sarah Jones said that the party would support the amendment, and called on the government to ‘do the right thing’, but BBC News warned that the government’s majority ‘and the fact that only English MPs can vote on the bill’ meant it was ‘unlikely to pass’.
Despite cross party support, the amendments – which also included ones that would have forced the government to implement recommendations from the Grenfell inquiry and to create a national fire safety register - were defeated by 340 to 225. Inside Housing reported on the reactions of EOCS and Grenfell United to the vote, with the former stating it was ‘extremely disappointed’ at the result.
EOCS’ Giles Grover stated: ‘Successive Conservative prime ministers and ministers have said numerous times that building owners and developers must do the right thing, yet when it has come to the government doing the right thing, it has chosen not to do so. The first duty of the government is to protect and safeguard the lives of its citizens; today it has failed in that duty and, in doing so, has failed leaseholders. Tonight, millions of people will go to sleep feeling trapped and abandoned.’
Grenfell United meanwhile tweeted that the vote ‘was a disgrace and extremely disheartening to see that those elected to represent us are actively working against our interests’.
If you are a commercial organisation seeking a BS 8414 cladding test, the FPA has modern testing facilities to meet your requirements. We are UKAS approved and have leading experts at your disposal. Find out more here