Rishi Sunak's Concrete Crisis: Blame Game and Rebuilding Repercussions
Rishi Sunak, the UK Chancellor, has denied responsibility for the crumbling concrete issue in schools, stating it was "utterly wrong" to blame him for the lack of repairs. Former senior civil servant Jonathan Slater accused Sunak of overseeing budget cuts that resulted in only 50 out of 400 schools needing rebuilding being covered. Education Secretary Gillian Keegan admitted that hundreds of schools in England could contain reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), with at least 104 confirmed to have the material. The government has faced criticism for its handling of the crisis, with concerns raised about the safety of students and the lack of preparation.