Labour calls for legally enforceable 2022 cladding remediation deadline

The intervention comes one week after the government set out its legislative priorities for the next year as part of the Queen’s speech.

The speech included a commitment to introducing the Building Safety Bill, which will implement recommendations from the post-Grenfell Hackitt Review such as the introduction of a new Building Safety Regulator.

However, Labour believes the government must go further and do more “to save lives and livelihoods”.

It said the recent fire at New Providence Wharf, a development in east London covered in the same type of cladding as Grenfell Tower, should act as a wake-up call to the government.

The government has already voted down multiple attempts by MPs to legislate to protect leaseholders from the cost of remediation through the separate Fire Safety Bill.

Ms Powell said: “This is the biggest building scandal in modern history and instead of decisive leadership to solve it, government delays are putting lives at risk. The Conservative Party is putting the interests of their developer donors over innocent homeowners. Ministers have failed to meet targets to assess unsafe buildings and remove cladding and broken promises that residents will not pay the costs of those responsible for the building safety scandal.

“The government must step up and end the waking nightmare for millions of residents trapped in unsafe, unsellable homes. Through no fault of their own, leaseholders’ lives are on hold, faced with crippling costs, with the fear of fire a real and present danger for many.”