Grenfell fire survivors reacted with fury yesterday after the Government decided to demolish the burned-out tower.
Families whose relatives were among the 72 killed in the June 2017 blaze accused officials of ignoring their wishes, and branded the decision as ‘disgraceful and unforgivable’.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner met families and survivors on Wednesday, ahead of a planned announcement of the demolition today. A Grenfell United spokesman said Mrs Rayner refused to confirm how many people and survivors had been spoken to in the four-week consultation.
He added: ‘Ignoring the voices of the bereaved on the future of our loved ones’ gravesite is disgraceful and unforgivable.’
But others involved have argued it is only a reminder of the tragedy, and should be removed.
A Government spokesman said Mrs Rayner engaged with the Grenfell community since her appointment and ‘considered expert information about health and safety, mental health and wellbeing’.
Sir Keir Starmer said his thoughts were with the victims. He visited the tower last year and spoke to families, saying: ‘We need to always have in our mind’s eye the victims in this terrible, terrible tragedy.’
Survivor Emma O’Connor, who lived on 20th floor, told Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘We understand it’s unsafe but if it’s out of sight, it will definitely be out of mind for those responsible for the tragic deaths.’ She said that when at the meeting with Mrs Rayner, survivors and relatives were told, ‘I’ve made this decision, I’ll take questions now’, without any explanation of how the decision was taken.
A Grenfell Next of Kin spokesman said one relative told Mrs Rayner: ‘I had just bits of bone to bury of my mother… that is where her soul is.’
The public inquiry into the disaster found Government and industry failures, and chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick hit out at the ‘dishonesty’ of firms which manufactured and sold the combustible cladding.
Families have called for criminal charges to be brought against those implicated in the inquiry, but police and prosecutors have said no decision will be made until the end of next year.