On Sunday Nick Paget-Brown, the Tory head of Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council, spoke to BBC Radio 4’s The World This Weekend programme to attempt to justify his and his council’s performance in the aftermath of the terrible Grenfell Tower tragedy.
It was an object lesson in framing answers to avoid responsibility. Answers that flew in the face of the allegations of victims and their neighbours – and appropriated the efforts of volunteers in the days following the fire in order to dodge criticisms and paint a flattering picture of the council’s actions.
Paget-Brown:
- claimed the volunteer centres spontaneously set up by local people were part of a ‘co-ordinated effort’ involving the council
- claimed that council employees and officers were on site ‘very soon’ after the fire started – when residents and neighbours of the Tower are adamant that no one from the council was there until early evening
- claimed the local Westway sports centre quickly became the single point for survivors and relatives, even though locals say it was late on Wednesday and into Thursday – and that council workers appropriated all the supplies the volunteer centres had collected to stock the centre
- claimed that council and government assistance had been established in the area, even though locals were still insisting on Sunday – the day of the interview – that the only effective assistance was being provided by volunteers
- denied that Ealing council had stepped in to relieve the council of its responsibilities even though it’s on record that it did
- and, perhaps most damningly, admitted that he did not speak to the government about the disaster until two full days after it took place
Watch and listen – and then decide for yourself whether Mr Paget-Brown’s claims match the evidence of the people affected.
And whether he should resign immediately to clear the way for someone more fit to help the victims and neighbours of Grenfell Tower:
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Kinell…
…And I thought IDS was THE complete cnut.
Sorry for the language, but my self-control is being stretched beyond a reasonable limit…
@1:55.
“You need sensitive people with an understanding of the particular needs of this traumatised community”
Well, that’s him and the rest of them tory shits out of the equation, innit? What about the needs of the Grenfell residents BEFORE THEY WERE TRAUMATISED,eh, paget, – you horridable, godawful, lying little gobshite?
Make my piss boil, so they do.
Reblogged this on Sid's Blog.
Just another liar like all them Tories see the deep routed chain that infest the lives of ordinary citizens who just want to live peaceful life’s – not much to ask for is it
And then there’s THIS from the helmet, in 2014
http://www.lbc.co.uk/news/london/west/kensington-chelsea/grenfell-tower-fire/letter-sent-by-kensington-council-leader-infuriate/
The way this knobhead’s carried on, it’s more or less odds-on he’ll be in the new year honours list.
It’s a wonder he hasn’t already been knighted. After all, they made shirley porter a ‘dame’ ffs
https://twitter.com/Wirral_In_It/status/876839584478490626
I can imagine in my mind’s eye that these rich bastards living in their obestly expensive homes in the area of the tragedy & not giving a fuck saying “at last they’ve gone”
And that hag Mrs, May, can fuck off too
And there are plenty of those types.
You see many of them wringing their hands and feigning sympathy on Tv when being interviewed. Some of them even have the brass balls make up tales of how they’ve gone out of their way to help the poor sods, or blame them for their misfortune. Or both.
I’m 200+ miles away, not in a position to offer practical help and I’m both lugubrious and effing seething.
Reblogged this on sdbast.
Oh yes Nick Paget-Brown the leader of Kensington and Chelsea council who gave all rich council tax payers a £100 rebate for paying their council tax on time, yet decided to save £5k by NOT using fire retardant panels. Paget-Brown’s idea of assistance was giving traumatised residents a tenner. NO ONE available at hotels to greet residents and to answer their questions. This whole thing is one huge f*** Up and Paget-Brown has to take his share of that blame. Prosecutions must happen, this cannot be allowed to be covered up.
Reblogged this on elizapdushku's World.