Boris Johnson has come under fire in the wake of the Grenfell tower inferno as footage emerges of the former Mayor of London telling an assembly member to "get stuffed" after being criticised over fire cuts in the city.

In 2014, during Johnson's second term as mayor, he oversaw the closure of 10 fire stations across London, including the loss of 522 firefighter jobs and 14 fire engines.

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Labour Assembly leader Andrew Dismore was asking the then-mayor: "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 barked back saying: "Get stuffed."

He later apologised, saying that it had "just popped out."

Firefighters were left in tears as stations around the city were closed, including the oldest in the country – Clerkenwell.

The closures were part of a drive to make £45m of savings between 2014 and 2016.

At the time, Paul Embery, London regional secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), said: "Boris Johnson will have blood on his hands. It will be only a matter of time before someone dies because a fire engine did not get to them in time.

As well as Clerkenwell, the other stations closed included Belsize, Bow, Downham, Kingsland, Knightsbridge, Silvertown, Southwark, and Woolwich.

So far 17 people have been confirmed dead following the blaze in west London in the early hours of Wednesday morning (14 June).

The death toll is expected to rise with authorities not expecting to find any further survivors.

Community centres and churches in the area have been working to collect food, drink and clothing for those who have been displaced.

Theresa May visited volunteers and firefighters at the scene and announced a full public inquiry into the disaster.