Tuesday, 15 July 2025

Farewell to Fauja Singh: The Turbaned Tornado Who Ran Into History

IMAGE:  Wilson Chowdhry and Fauja Singh just before a Redbridge Park Run event

By Wilson Chowdhry

The world has lost a legend. Fauja Singh, the British-Indian centenarian runner affectionately dubbed the “Turbaned Tornado,” passed away at the age of 114 after a tragic hit-and-run accident in his ancestral village of Beas Pind, Punjab.

Fauja Singh wasn’t just a marathon runner—he was a phenomenon. A man who defied expectations, transformed grief into purpose, and inspired generations with his message of discipline, humility, and determination.

A Life Rewritten at 89

Most athletes are winding down their careers by their 40s. Fauja Singh hadn’t even started. After a life spent as a farmer, he took up running at 89 years old in an effort to overcome the deep grief of losing his wife and then his son in a tragic accident. It was in London, after meeting a group of elderly runners and his eventual coach Harmander Singh, that his marathon journey began.

And what a journey it was.

From his debut at the London Marathon in 2000—where he refused to run without his turban—to completing his final competitive race at age 102 in Hong Kong, Singh ran not only for himself, but for countless charitable causes. At 100, he famously completed the Toronto Marathon, becoming, by all accounts, the first centenarian to do so. Though Guinness World Records couldn’t verify his age due to a lack of a birth certificate from 1911, his British passport and a congratulatory letter from the Queen speak volumes.

Meeting a Legend

I had the honour of running alongside Fauja Singh at a Parkrun in Valentines Park on 31st March 2012. It’s a memory I cherish deeply. Despite his age, he radiated energy and encouragement, pushing those around him to keep going—not just in the run, but in life. Just weeks later, he completed what would be his final London Marathon at 101, clocking in at 7 hours and 49 minutes—beating his personal target by over 30 minutes and raising £1000 for charity.

His presence was always more than just inspirational—it was transformative. Seeing someone who had overcome so much run with such purpose was a moment of revelation.

A Legacy That Will Keep Running

Fauja Singh didn’t just run marathons—he redefined them. He became a torchbearer for the 2012 London Olympics, appeared in Adidas' iconic Impossible is Nothing campaign alongside Muhammad Ali, and was invited by Queen Elizabeth II to Buckingham Palace. He was even invited to participate in Pakistan’s first Lahore Marathon—a powerful gesture from a man whose life spanned the era of Partition.

He never chased fame. Instead, he used his visibility to raise funds for premature infants, disaster relief, and numerous community initiatives. His running club, Sikhs In The City, continues that mission today, and has vowed to dedicate all upcoming events—including the Fauja Singh Birthday Challenge in 2026—to celebrating his extraordinary life.

Plans are also underway to build the Fauja Singh Clubhouse in Ilford along his old training route—a fitting tribute to a man who brought so much pride to East London and beyond.

Lessons From the Turbaned Tornado

When the BBC last visited him in June 2025, he was still walking several miles a day. His secret? "Eat less, run more, and stay happy." It was a simple philosophy, but one that kept him healthy for over a century.

Fauja Singh reminded us that resilience is born not just from strength, but from faith, discipline, and community. That legacy will outlive any record or medal.

His passing marks the end of an era. But his spirit—unbreakable, humble, and full of hope—will run on forever.

Rest in peace, Fauja Singh. Thank you for showing the world that it’s never too late to start, and never too early to make a difference.

Saturday, 12 July 2025

No More Excuses’: Holyrood Urged to Break RAAC Reform Deadlock


JOIN OUR 'UK RAAC CAMPAIGN GROUP' FB PAGE (HERE)
PLEASE SIGN OUR PETITIONS  (CLICK HERE), OFFICIAL SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT PETITION (CLICK HERE)  OFFICIAL UK GOVERNMENT PETITION: (CLICK HERE)

WATCH FIRST NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS FEATURE ON RAAC HOUSING CRISES (HERE)

Watch the historic moment as the Scottish Parliament Petitions Committee officially backs the UK RAAC Campaign Group’s petition—a groundbreaking step in our fight for justice and accountability! (here)

Please complete our impact survey (here) 

12 July 2025 — The UK RAAC Campaign Group has called on the Scottish Government to take immediate and decisive action to support families affected by the RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete) crisis. In an open letter addressed to First Minister John Swinney and Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy Màiri McAllan, campaign chair Wilson Chowdhry demanded formal engagement with Westminster to unlock stalled reforms and de

liver real solutions for Scottish homeowners.

The letter follows a disappointing response from UK Minister Alex Norris MP, who claimed that building safety is “a devolved issue” — effectively placing the burden back on the Scottish Government.

“While I firmly reject this characterisation — given that my proposals clearly fall within the scope of reserved matters including finance, taxation, product safety, and insurance — I now call on you, as leaders of the Scottish Government, to formally engage with the UK Government in order to secure meaningful action for Scottish residents affected by the RAAC crisis.”

The letter lays out four urgent policy areas that require UK-wide collaboration and reform:

  1. Amendments to UK legislation — including financial and insurance laws — to provide fairer support for RAAC-affected homeowners.

  2. New product safety legislation for housing, holding developers accountable for materials like RAAC and unsafe cladding.

  3. Mandatory home-buying surveys that include structural risk assessments to prevent future disasters.

  4. A UK-wide compensation or rebuilding fund, with co-funding and leadership from the Scottish Government.

Chowdhry also criticised the previous housing minister, Paul McLennan MSP, for his lack of engagement with affected homeowners, particularly in areas not dominated by the SNP.

“Your administration must now show the decisive leadership that has so far been absent,” the letter urges.

The RAAC Campaign Group is now requesting a direct meeting with the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary to present evidence and discuss a joint approach to solving the crisis. Without Scottish Government leadership, the group warns that UK-wide reforms will remain blocked — leaving hundreds of Scottish families in limbo, displaced from unsafe homes and without meaningful support.

If the UK Government insists it cannot act without input from devolved administrations, then it is now up to Holyrood to take the lead.

📩 For media enquiries or to support the campaign, contact Wilson Chowdhry at wilson@aasecurity.co.uk

Tuesday, 8 July 2025

‘Consultation’ or Coercion? Aberdeen Council’s RAAC Sham Exposed



JOIN OUR 'UK RAAC CAMPAIGN GROUP' FB PAGE (HERE)
PLEASE SIGN OUR PETITIONS  (CLICK HERE), OFFICIAL SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT PETITION (CLICK HERE)

WATCH FIRST NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS FEATURE ON RAAC HOUSING CRISES (HERE)

Watch the historic moment as the Scottish Parliament Petitions Committee officially backs the UK RAAC Campaign Group’s petition—a groundbreaking step in our fight for justice and accountability! (here)

Please complete our impact survey (here) 

Author:

Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman – UK RAAC Campaign Group


Swap, Sell or Sink: The Cruel Choices Facing Aberdeen’s RAAC Victims

Today I sent a formal open letter to Stephen Booth, Chief Officer of Early Intervention and Community Empowerment at Aberdeen City Council, outlining a series of major concerns around the Council’s response to the ongoing RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete) housing crisis. The current proposals, presented to affected homeowners by Aberdeen City Council, have caused widespread distress, confusion, and outrage.

As Chairman of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, I feel compelled to speak publicly on behalf of those homeowners whose lives have been upended by the discovery of RAAC in their homes—homes that were, in many cases, built by the Council itself and later sold under the UK Government’s Right to Buy scheme.

💥 A Crisis Mishandled

In the letter, I made it unequivocally clear that the Council’s current proposals—rushed and lacking in transparency—risk pushing vulnerable homeowners into bankruptcy, homelessness, or both.

Residents, many of whom are elderly, live with disabilities, or are financially stretched, have been left without any legal or financial certainty. Their questions remain unanswered, their concerns sidelined, and their voices diminished in a process that feels more like a strategic withdrawal of responsibility than a genuine attempt at support.


❌ The Loan Scheme: “A Financial Ambush”

The Council's proposal to offer loans for structural repairs was roundly criticised in the letter. Key financial terms remain undisclosed, including:

  • Interest rates;

  • Length of loan terms;

  • Legal costs;

  • The impact on owners with little or no equity;

  • Whether "missed share" options would be offered in place of shared equity.

Without this information, I wrote, the proposal is “a financial ambush.”


⏳ Unrealistic Deadlines for Life-Altering Decisions

Aberdeen City Council has insisted that decisions be made by the end of June—a deadline that passed with homeowners still unclear about the most basic details. For many families, including my own, this was wholly unworkable. My daughter, for example, only returns from a university placement abroad in August, making any family decision on our home impossible before then.

I have urged the Council to extend the decision deadline, allowing homeowners adequate time for legal advice, family consultation, and due consideration of life-changing proposals.


🏗️ Excluded from Contractor Decisions

It is shocking that homeowners—who often own a majority share of their buildings—have not been allowed to meet contractors or secure alternative quotes. This exclusion violates the principles of partnership and denies residents the chance to seek cost-saving solutions or to assess the viability and quality of the proposed works.

No timeline for construction has been provided, nor estimates of legal costs. These basic omissions only deepen mistrust.


🔁 Swap Scheme – A Hollow Offer?

While the Council’s swap scheme reflects a concept I previously recommended, the execution is entirely lacking in substance. There has been:

  • No disclosure of available swap properties;

  • No description of their condition;

  • No assurance of their suitability for displaced homeowners.

It appears the Council is simply trying to test interest before developing viable alternatives—a misleading and insensitive approach to desperate residents.


⚖️ Comparison with Tillicoultry – A Tale of Two Councils

In stark contrast, Clackmannanshire Council—after extensive resident engagement—agreed to include a contractual guarantee that homeowners would benefit from any future Scottish or UK Government grant schemes. I requested this in both cases.

Aberdeen City Council has effectively adopted a model I originally proposed, albeit in a far more aggressive and punitive form. Crucially, they have omitted a key safeguard — a contractual guarantee that homeowners would benefit from any future RAAC-related grants. I have now formally requested an explanation for the exclusion of this provision, particularly in light of growing national concern and active political lobbying for government-funded support.


🏚️ A Crisis the Council Helped Create

This disaster is not the fault of residents. These homes were built by local authorities—often with substandard materials and poor long-term oversight—and later sold on to unsuspecting families through Right to Buy.

Now, many are left paying mortgages on uninhabitable rubble, unable to remortgage, resell, or rebuild their lives. The Council’s current offer of a £5,000 “making good” grant and 10% home loss payment (in some cases only) is insultingly insufficient and fails to account for the emotional, financial, and practical devastation caused.


📜 Nine Key Demands

To restore trust and make the process fair and workable, I have requested the following:

  1. Full financial disclosure of any proposed loan arrangements;

  2. An extension to the consultation deadline;

  3. A meeting between homeowners and proposed contractors;

  4. An explanation for the exclusion of alternative contractor quotes;

  5. A full inventory of swap properties, including condition and availability;

  6. Clarity on missed share or equity alternatives;

  7. A clear position on whether the Council will issue Compulsory Purchase Orders;

  8. Details on whether a public inquiry would be triggered by such a CPO;

  9. Transparent communication around all available appeal or complaint mechanisms.


📢 Time for Accountability

I have warned Aberdeen City Council that if these concerns are not urgently addressed, the matter will be escalated to national media, political representatives, and regulatory bodies.

This is not a technical problem; it is a human crisis. And Aberdeen City Council must now choose whether it will stand with its residents—or abandon them to a fate of dispossession and debt.


✊ Join the Movement

The UK RAAC Campaign Group is committed to advocating for justice, safety, and transparency for all those affected by the RAAC crisis.

📧 If you're a homeowner affected by RAAC or want to support the campaign, get in touch.
📝 Sign up for updates and upcoming briefings by emailing wilson@aasecurity.co.uk
📣 Share this blog to raise awareness.












Monday, 7 July 2025

Petition Dismissed Amid Government Inflexibility—but Committee Praises Ongoing UK RAAC Campaign

 


JOIN OUR 'UK RAAC CAMPAIGN GROUP' FB PAGE (HERE)
PLEASE SIGN OUR PETITIONS  (CLICK HERE), OFFICIAL SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT PETITION (CLICK HERE)

WATCH FIRST NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS FEATURE ON RAAC HOUSING CRISES (HERE)

Watch the historic moment as the Scottish Parliament Petitions Committee officially backs the UK RAAC Campaign Group’s petition—a groundbreaking step in our fight for justice and accountability! (here)

Please complete our impact survey (here) 

On 18th June 2025, the Scottish Parliament’s Petitions Committee considered my petition (PE2150), which called for an amendment to the Scottish Housing Regulator's remit or the creation of a new independent body to represent and support owners of ex-council properties facing structural issues such as those caused by Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC).

While the committee acknowledged the seriousness of the problem and the importance of the issues raised, they ultimately decided to close the petition. This was based on the Scottish Government’s inflexible stance—they have no intention of expanding the remit of the Scottish Housing Regulator, nor creating a new agency to advocate for ex-council homeowners.

“I am deeply disappointed by the Scottish Government’s inflexibility, which effectively limited the actions the Petitions Committee could take. Despite the clear structural crises affecting many homeowners, ministers continue to ignore calls for fair and equal protection for all, regardless of whether homes are rented or owned.”
Wilson Chowdhry, Petitioner

That said, I remain grateful to the committee for the respect and recognition they gave to my ongoing petition on RAAC and their acknowledgement of its impact. Their comments confirmed that the campaign has led to wider parliamentary attention and debate, and that the matter remains under active scrutiny.

The committee rightly noted that issues around RAAC are being pursued vigorously across parties and through my other live petitions—including a UK Parliament and Welsh Government Petition—which continue to press the Scottish Government to act more decisively.

“I sincerely thank the committee for recognising the value of my submissions and for continuing to spotlight the serious plight of homeowners. I hope the Government will eventually take notice of the strong evidence base I have provided and concede to a fairer, more inclusive approach that protects all citizens, not just those in council housing.”
Wilson Chowdhry

However, one remark from the committee suggested that creating a new regulatory body would be pointless, as it could not address past failures like RAAC. I feel compelled to clarify why that view is shortsighted.

“It’s important to recognise that RAAC is just one of many legacy issues. The construction methods used by councils in previous decades were often substandard, and more structural problems are likely to emerge in the years ahead. Creating a new oversight body isn’t just about the past—it’s about ensuring a better, fairer response in the future for homeowners who’ve inherited the consequences of those past decisions.”

Wilson Chowdhry 

Though this particular petition has now closed, the campaign is far from over. The Scottish Government must acknowledge the clear inequality in how ex-council homeowners are treated and respond with the urgency and fairness that these life-altering issues demand.

We will continue to advocate until all homeowners are given equal protection, clear information, and appropriate support when structural defects like RAAC place their lives, finances, and wellbeing at risk.

You can watch the positive delibeartions of the committee here:  




Loan Scheme or Loan Trap? UK RAAC Campaign Pushes for Fairness in Clackmannanshire


JOIN OUR 'UK RAAC CAMPAIGN GROUP' FB PAGE (HERE)
PLEASE SIGN OUR PETITIONS  (CLICK HERE), OFFICIAL SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT PETITION (CLICK HERE)

WATCH FIRST NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS FEATURE ON RAAC HOUSING CRISES (HERE)

Watch the historic moment as the Scottish Parliament Petitions Committee officially backs the UK RAAC Campaign Group’s petition—a groundbreaking step in our fight for justice and accountability! (here)

Please complete our impact survey (here) 

On July 3rd, a significant meeting took place involving representatives of the UK RAAC Campaign Group and officials from Clackmannanshire Council — including Housing Manager Murray Sharp and Project Manager Kim Grieve. The focus was the Council’s loan scheme designed to fund urgent remedial works for homes affected by Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), a serious structural concern impacting many properties.

The UK RAAC Campaign Group, led by Chairperson Wilson Chowdhry, has since issued an open letter to Kevin Wells, Strategic Director for Place at Clackmannanshire Council. The letter highlights a series of pressing concerns regarding the loan scheme, emphasizing the need for fairness, flexibility, and transparency to protect homeowners caught in this difficult situation.

Key Issues Raised:

  1. Loan Security Requirements:
    The Council’s insistence on placing second legal charges on properties — especially where homeowners only own one property or have existing mortgage restrictions — is both legally and financially unworkable for many. The group urges the Council to consider alternatives such as personal guarantees or limited charges, ensuring that no homeowner is unfairly excluded.

  2. High Interest Rates and Funding Transparency:
    Homeowners were initially told the loan would be low or no-interest. Yet, the Council has imposed a 5.5% interest rate, citing its own borrowing costs as justification. The group demands documentary evidence of these costs and asks whether alternative funding sources, such as government-backed funds, could reduce the financial burden on residents.

  3. Barriers to Alternative Finance:
    A policy requiring homeowners to pay 50% upfront if they choose their own finance options effectively blocks more affordable borrowing alternatives, limiting residents’ choices.

  4. Confusing Administrative Charges:
    While the contractor assures homeowners they can manage the work directly without extra costs, the Council insists on charging administrative fees. This contradiction raises serious concerns about transparency and value for money.

  5. Valuation Discrepancies and Homeowner Recourse:
    Fiona Crichton, a homeowner involved in the campaign, has been engaging with Shepherd Surveyors’ Kieran Bonner. Mr Bonner noted that the property valuations could be higher if the properties were better presented. Following the meeting on July 3rd, Mr Sharp agreed to review these valuations to ensure homeowners receive fair assessments. The letter also calls for clear explanations on what happens if a homeowner is dissatisfied with their options — specifically, whether a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) would be initiated, and if so, what procedures would follow.

  6. Early Redemption Clarity:
    The Council assured there would be no penalties for early repayment of loans apart from accrued interest. However, the group has requested this be confirmed in writing to prevent future confusion.

  7. VAT Transparency and Respectful Communication:
    Concerns remain over VAT charges being passed to homeowners despite the Council’s status as a net-zero VAT recipient. A recent meeting was abruptly ended by Mr Sharp when questioned about VAT, leaving homeowners feeling dismissed. The campaign group urges the Council to provide a clear, written explanation of the VAT position and to treat residents with the respect they deserve.


The UK RAAC Campaign Group’s letter underscores the urgent need for Clackmannanshire Council to engage openly and constructively with homeowners, revisiting the loan scheme to ensure it is fair, transparent, and workable. Homeowners face an incredibly challenging situation, and it is vital that public bodies support them with empathy and clarity.

Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, said:

"The current loan scheme imposed by Clackmannanshire Council is nothing short of a disgrace. Homeowners already living with the fear and disruption caused by RAAC are being slammed with crippling interest rates, impossible security conditions, and hidden fees that only deepen their financial and emotional distress. This is a gross failure of duty by the Council—turning a public safety crisis into a personal financial nightmare for residents. We demand that the Council stop passing on its own borrowing costs to vulnerable homeowners, immediately scrap the punitive conditions that exclude those with limited property assets, and come clean on the true financial picture behind these loans. It’s time for real transparency, genuine dialogue, and flexible solutions that put people before paperwork. We call on Clackmannanshire Council to listen, to act fairly, and to restore trust before irreparable damage is done. Homeowners deserve respect, not ransom. We stand ready to work alongside the Council, but make no mistake—if these demands are ignored, we will escalate this campaign to ensure that justice for RAAC-affected families cannot be denied.”

Sunday, 6 July 2025

RAAC Crisis in Wales: Why the Welsh Government Must Do More for Homeowners in Despair

If you are a Welsh resident, please show your support by signing our petition to the Welsh Government: https://petitions.senewales/petitdd.ions/246606

JOIN OUR 'UK RAAC CAMPAIGN GROUP' FB PAGE (HERE)

PLEASE SIGN OUR  OFFICIAL UK GOVERNMENT PETITION (HERE).

WATCH FIRST NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS FEATURE ON RAAC HOUSING CRISES (HERE)

Please complete our impact survey (here) 

RAAC Crisis in Wales: Why the Welsh Government Must Do More for Homeowners in Despair

By Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman, UK RAAC Campaign Group

Across Wales, dozens of families—many of them elderly—are facing financial collapse and the prospect of homelessness due to a crisis they never caused. The culprit? Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), a defective building material used extensively in the post-war construction boom and now known for its severe structural weaknesses.

The Welsh Government’s recent response to our appeals, signed by Deputy Director Richard Baker, acknowledges the problem—but fails to grasp its full human and moral scale. The response offered little beyond piecemeal local support and brushed aside calls for a statutory public inquiry and a national register of high-risk buildings.

We believe the alarm must be sounded louder—so we’ve written to the Welsh Government once again. (Click here to read our latest letter.)"


💸 Inadequate Support Is Leaving Homeowners Behind

In places like the Gower Estate in Hirwaun, some affected homeowners have received small grants (£6,500) and interest-free loans. But many others fall outside the narrow eligibility rules and are left to bear the full burden of repairs themselves—costs that can run into tens of thousands of pounds.

Most of these residents are over 65. Some are facing bankruptcy. Others are slipping into deep depression, paralysed by uncertainty and fear. The support on offer simply doesn’t go far enough.

We are calling for the Welsh Government to urgently reconsider its decision not to establish a national remediation fund for homeowners. These are people who bought homes in good faith, only to discover hidden dangers that were known to officials but never disclosed to the public.


🏛️ Why We Still Need a Statutory Public Inquiry

The Welsh Government’s stance that "a Public Inquiry would not reveal anything new" is deeply troubling.

RAAC is not just a technical problem—it is a symbol of systemic failure:

  • Government departments and local councils allowed RAAC to be used despite early warnings.

  • Powerful individuals and organisations promoted the material while holding sway over public policy.

  • Homes built with RAAC were sold under the Right to Buy scheme long after the risks were known.

  • Promotional materials actively misled both buyers and professionals about RAAC’s safety.

Minister Alex Norris the UK Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Housing says that RAAC has long been a “known issue,” he inadvertently raises the most critical question of all: Why wasn’t the public informed? Why weren’t homebuyers warned?

This is exactly why we need a statutory Public Inquiry, modelled on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. We must examine not just the use of RAAC itself, but also the web of oversight failures, commercial interests, and missed warnings that allowed this crisis to happen.

🏛️ Why We Still Strengthened Building Regulations

When I called for building regulations in Wales to be strengthened—specifically to include a mandatory 50-year guarantee on construction materials—I was told there are currently “no plans” to introduce such measures. Instead, the Welsh Government referred to Regulation 7, which requires materials to be “adequate and proper.” But RAAC was once considered “adequate” too, and we now know the catastrophic consequences of that judgment. Vague wording and minimum standards are simply not enough. In contrast, the UK Government has recognised the need for system-wide reform, as outlined in its Construction Products Green Paper. I was invited to participate and have since completed a detailed 56-question submission to support that review. I am sharing my response with the Welsh Government in the hope that it will spur more proactive policy-making. It is disheartening to see Wales taking a back seat—waiting on others to lead—when it could and should be setting the standard for construction safety and consumer protection.


🏚️ Where Is Wales’ High-Risk Property Register?

A further serious concern is the Welsh Government’s decision not to advance a High-Risk Property Register or enhance the home buyer report, attributing the inaction to resource constraints.


Scotland initially cited similar resource-related concerns. However, following sustained pressure—including my own petition to the Scottish Parliament—the Scottish Government is now actively progressing legislation to strengthen the Home Buyer Report and is regularly discussing the development of a High-Risk Property Register. Notably, they have already implemented the Cladding Assurance Register, which could be expanded to include RAAC and other hazardous materials.

Contrary to some claims, the necessary technology is already in place. Councils such as Clackmannanshire use software like Idox to store building safety data, and Stephen Booth, Strategic Officer for Place at Aberdeen City Council, has confirmed that the council already has the technological capacity to implement such a change. It is therefore reasonable to expect that similar capabilities exist in Wales. A centralised register would help prevent future building safety disasters and make the home buying process safer, more transparent, and accountable.

Without it, dangerous homes—like a RAAC-affected property recently sold at auction in Craigshill—will continue slipping through the cracks.


🚨 The Human Cost

This isn’t about bricks and concrete—it’s about people. Elderly pensioners. Young families. Vulnerable tenants. They’ve been left alone to face a silent but growing catastrophe.

We need leadership. We need transparency. And we need compassion.

We are again calling on the Welsh Government to:

  • Establish a national RAAC remediation fund for homeowners.

  • Launch a full Public Inquiry into the history and mismanagement of RAAC.

  • Develop a comprehensive High-Risk Property Register to protect future generations.

If we don’t learn from these failures—and act decisively—the tragedy will only repeat itself.

Wilson Chowdhry
Chairman, UK RAAC Campaign Group
📧 wilson@aasecurity.co.uk

Selling Danger: The Truth About RAAC the Government Won’t Confront


JOIN OUR 'UK RAAC CAMPAIGN GROUP' FB PAGE (HERE)
PLEASE SIGN OUR PETITIONS  (CLICK HERE), OFFICIAL SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT PETITION (CLICK HERE)

WATCH FIRST NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS FEATURE ON RAAC HOUSING CRISES (HERE)

Watch the historic moment as the Scottish Parliament Petitions Committee officially backs the UK RAAC Campaign Group’s petition—a groundbreaking step in our fight for justice and accountability! (here)

Please complete our impact survey (here) 

Concrete Betrayal: Hand-Delivering Our Demands to No. 10

Today, I submitted an open letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Secretary of State for Housing Angela Rayner, renewing my call for a statutory Public Inquiry into the historic approval and use of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in public housing and infrastructure across the United Kingdom.

This follows a deeply disappointing response from Building Safety Minister Alex Norris, who failed to address core issues raised in my original letter dated 4th June 2025. While his reply acknowledged the widespread presence of RAAC and reiterated that it has long been a “known issue,” it completely sidestepped concerns about systemic failures in governance, corruption, and the selling of unsafe homes under the Right to Buy scheme—without disclosing the associated risks.

Read MP Alex Norris's response (here)

Read my earlier open letter (here)


🔍 What’s Missing from the Government’s Response?

Despite mounting evidence that:

  • Conflicts of interest existed among developers, researchers, and MPs involved in RAAC’s promotion,

  • Local councils continued selling homes with dangerous RAAC roofs long after risks were known,

  • Scottish housing was excluded from critical post-Ronan Point safety reviews,

  • And misleading public communications downplayed the severe deterioration risks of RAAC,

…the Government's response has focused narrowly on technical risk assessments and regulatory reform. There has been no acknowledgement of decades-long institutional failures, no justice for affected homeowners, and no answers for how this happened.


📬 Letter Sent Today – Hand Delivery on Friday

The letter has now been submitted by email, and I will be hand-delivering a copy to 10 Downing Street this Friday 11th June, accompanied by residents whose lives have been turned upside down by this crisis. We are demanding a full inquiry not just into the material, but into the failure of public institutions to protect citizens, and the continued sale of unsafe homes without proper disclosure.

This crisis is not about concrete alone. It is about broken systems, eroded public trust, and a government that must answer to the people it has failed.


🙏 Support the Campaign

If you are affected by RAAC, or support the call for truth and justice, please share this blog post, contact your MP, and urge them to support a statutory Public Inquiry.

This is not just about buildings. It’s about lives, livelihoods, and accountability.


Wilson Chowdhry
Chair, UK RAAC Campaign Group
📧 wilson@aasecurity.co.uk