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Politics

20th Jul 2022

Flashback: To when Boris Johnson told rival politician to ‘get stuffed’ over fire safety concerns

Jack Peat

The former London Mayor dismissed accusations that he was ‘lying to the people of London’

A clip of Boris Johnson telling a fellow London Assembly member to “get stuffed” has resurfaced following a record-breaking week of call-outs for the fire brigade.

The former London Mayor made the comments in 2013 when he was criticised over plans to cut the number of frontline fire fighting services.

A total of ten fire stations were cut under Johnson’s tenure, with a loss of 552 firefighters’ jobs.

Labour Assembly leader Andrew Dismore asked Johnson: “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.”

Boris snapped, “Get stuffed”, before being made to withdraw the remarks.

Record-breaking temperatures this week led to London Fire Brigade’s busiest day since the Second World War on Tuesday, according to Sadiq Khan.

“Normally we get 350 calls a day, on a busy day we can get up to 500 calls. Yesterday the fire service had more than 2,600 calls a day”, he said.

More than 125 firefighters also had to tackle a fire at a block of flats in east London today as thick plumes of smoke were seen barrelling out of the top floor windows.

Firefighters are simultaneously tackling a blaze involving around one hectare of grass opposite the block, which is close to London City Airport.

It is not known what caused either fire.

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