In a move that ought to be astonishing, even unbelievable – but is anything but – the government will not ban the use of flammable cladding or untested cladding systems as a result of the terrible loss of life caused, and the suffering inflicted on the survivors by, the Grenfell Tower blaze.
The ‘Hackitt Review’, commissioned by the government to examine building regulations after flammable cladding – “like a candle sandwiched between two sheets of metal” according to fire safety expert Arnold Tarling – even though a recently-leaked report by fire investigation experts BRE Global stated that not a single life would have been lost at Grenfell had the building not been sheathed in cladding panels.
Labour MP Emma Dent Coad, whose constituents died in the needless tragedy and who has fought tirelessly for the survivors in spite of persistent attacks from vested interests, expressed her outrage and disbelief on social media:
Various groups, including the Local Government Association (LGA), the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Commons Housing Select Committee, have repeatedly asked on the report’s author, Dame Judith Hackitt, to recommend a ban on flammable materials and unsuitable ‘desktop’ flammability tests, but the report is believed to include no such recommendations.
Like Ms Dent Coad, the LGA has said that it will call immediately for a new review with a ban on flammable cladding and a complete rewriting of testing regulations.
Comment:
The Tories have already betrayed the victims and survivors of the Grenfell fire by breaking Theresa May’s promise to rehome survivors within three weeks, by failing to fund the installation of sprinklers in high-rise dwellings and by refusing to pay for the removal of dangerous cladding.
It now looks set to add a further betrayal in a move that goes against not only reason but the cast-iron verdict of experts.
Yet again, this despicable Conservative government is displaying its contempt for ordinary people.
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money hay you give the party a donation you give backhanders jobs for the boys but go against those who provide it nah they rather you burn
The moment it was announced that Judith Hackitt would be leading this enquiry I knew it would fail.
Scandalous but what can you expect from the Neo-Liberal Tories (can’t intervene in the market) and they know the price of everything AND THE VALUE OF NOTHING!
I would argue it is Tory Neo-Liberal ideology that was the root cause of Grenfell.
Oh and because I also read the Financial Pages of newspapers I noticed a few months ago that the dreadful company that installed the dreadful cladding on the cheap (cost £1.7m when more fire resistant would have cost a little more than £3m) actually recently doubled their profits.
We need justice for Grenfell and safety for others is paramount.
Neo-Liberalism and the Tories it has captured are now firmly in the dock and they need to pay for their crimes!
Then that was obviously just a tick box excersise, so it looks like they are being proactive.
Yet rather than do solid work to benefit the nation, yet again the idiots focus on nanny-state controls and anything to persecute vulnerable, sick, disabled, elderly, the list is long..It’s disgusting Yet another example of the “Hostile Environment” in action
The Tories don’t like being told they are wrong, and never accept they are. Even if it comes to light, as with the Windrush affair, they made numerous balls ups. someone goes – but the mess just carries on. This is nothing new, nor will it ever change, The Tories see themselves as medieval barons, as our lords and masters, and as such, we should be doffing caps and accepting their wisdom. Hence the EU had to go. We can’t have filthy foreigners telling the govt they’ve made a cock up and fining them – as the EU has had to do with the Tories many times.
On this issue, remember it was Cable and Pickles that did away with the three hundred year old legislation that banned the use of flammable materials, and as such, the govt is to blame for what happened. That can never be allowed to come to light, nor, as above, can they seen to have been wrong to do so…
So the fears of the inquiry being a Hackitt job appear well founded…
Plymouth tory council has voted against opposition proposals for near-future removal of grenfell-type cladding on two local tower blocks. “Premature” to allocate cash now. (Private Eye 1469)
Any risk opportunity, aiding the disruption or fatalityof Plebs’ lives, will usually be seized – with relish – by the nasti party…