'Is it not completely mental?': Tom Swarbrick astonished as schools shut due to crumble-risk concrete before new term
1 September 2023, 13:29 | Updated: 7 September 2023, 11:40
Tom Swarbrick 'astonished' at delayed notice of school closures over concrete safety
Tom shares his 'astonishment' as school classrooms are forced to close due to concrete safety concerns, branding it another example of 'crumbling Britain'.
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Tom Swarbrick delivered this monologue following the news that school buildings in England are being forced to close if they were made with concrete prone to collapsing.
More than 100 schools are confirmed to have been contacted so far ahead of the new academic year.
Tom said: "Is this not another example of crumbling Britain?
"This time, it is in part, the timing of the announcement that is astonishing to me, given that on Monday millions of children will head back to school.
"It's not like there's been a six-week holiday or something in which this news could have been announced.
"Imagine allowing it to get this bad."
It comes after a June report found that the risk of injury or death from a school building collapse was "very likely and critical".
However, the Department for Education (DfE) has not given a timeline for replacing the RAAC.
Tom continued: "We are having to close down classrooms, not this time because of an airborne virus, but because no one is quite sure that the building won't collapse on top of the children who are being taught inside them.
"And you're being told this less than a week before they go back.
He concluded: "Is it not completely mental?"
