THE Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has slammed as “dangerous” Boris Johnson’s claim that properties caught up in the building safety crisis are “not unsafe.”

The comment came during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday after Labour MP Paul Blomfield reminded the Commons that the PM had previously said a constituent of his had a “frankly unnecessary sense of anxiety” over the problem. 

The PM also suggested that people should be “making sure that we do not unnecessarily undermine the confidence of the market and the people in these homes.”

Many buildings have been found to be unsafe due to safety-related issues in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, leaving up to 600,000 people trapped in dangerous housing while facing crippling remediation bills. 

Ministers have promised £5 billion to address the issue, but MPs estimate that the eventual cost in residential properties alone could be at least three times as much.

FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said: “Any anxiety over this situation is utterly justified, and to suggest anything else is an insult to victims. 

“The Prime Minister should apologise for and retract his comments at once.”