A stark contrast as Corbyn and May visit site of London fire
A fire at the Grenfell Tower in London on Wednesday may have killed a hundred people:
As the confirmed death toll rose to 30, there were reportedly as many as 70 people unaccounted for since the blaze, which police fear was so devastating that some victims may never be identified. The official number of deaths has sparked anger and confusion within the local community, where people believe the true number is considerably higher. — Guardian
Labour Party leader James Corbyn visited the complex on Thursday, meeting with survivors. He comforted those searching for loved ones.
Corbyn comforting a woman holding missing person flyers for a 12 year old
After his visit, Corbyn discussed housing survivors in luxury apartments nearby. The neighborhood is one of the wealthiest in London, with many apartments owned by foreign buyers which sit unoccupied for most of the year. Corbyn had earlier said that austerity cuts for public housing and Conservatives’ failure to update safety regulations might be partially responsible for the fire.
As if those criticisms weren’t bad enough, Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May compounded the crisis by failing to meet with survivors when she visited the site on Thursday. She opted to survey the location with first responders.
May was almost immediately excoriated by the UK papers for the stark contrast with Corbyn’s visit:
- The Guardian: Theresa May was too scared to meet the Grenfell survivors. She’s finished
- The Mirror: May faced a huge public backlash for failing to visit the victims of the tower block inferno during a visit on Thursday
- The Sun: ‘COLD AND INHUMAN’ Theresa May blasted after ‘refusing to answer a single question’ when pressed over her response to Grenfell Tower blaze
- The Telegraph: Theresa May’s cold, insensitive reaction to the Grenfell disaster puts her in great political danger
- The Spectator: Why didn’t Theresa May meet Grenfell Tower survivors?
- The Independent: Grenfell Tower fire: Theresa May did not speak to us, angry resident tells Jeremy Corbyn
In contrast, Corbyn was lauded by the press and survivors for his visit. The Independent quoted one resident saying “he’s one of us”. The criticism got to be so bad that PM May returned on Friday to visit survivors at a church being used as a shelter. As she left that visit escorted by police, she was heckled by protesters who shouted “shame on you” and “coward”.
London mayor Sadiq Khan, Queen Elizabeth and Prince William who also visited the site, did meet survivors.
In 2009, a fire at a public housing complex in South-East London killed six people, including three children. An investigation found the local authorities failed to maintain the building up to fire code.
There were blog posts yesterday that chronicled the repeated attempts by residents at Grenfell Towers to have management fix sprinklers, fire alarms and other equipment in the building.
I’m still just trying to see what the media puts together as the investigation continues. I do know there are plenty of angry people, and if Corbyn is right, May is going to have a hell of a Question Time next week, much of her Homeland group to do some explaining in meetings.
It’ll be interesting to see the millionaires who seldom live in their luxury flats are willing to put up funds to put those displaced in decent housing.
Theirs a difference between someone that wants a photo op and someone that’s a person of the people and is genuine about it. The difference is easy to see here.
The people are impressed with May! LOL
The question is how much longer will she last?
Theresa May just go and play
Jeremy Corbyn will save the day!
Sadly it was all about saving money to beautify the building.
The insanely tragic and callous thing is the cladding project cost millions apparently. They cut corners for 5k and now dozens are dead. It is an absolute shame.
Throwing this in because I like the tweet.
https://twitter.com/ZaidJilani/status/875874603498909697
Oh yeah, let’s go, world! Let’s start the truth speaking, the truth in motion, the truth of being human—that our relationships with our brothers and sisters are what truly make our lives meaningful, not pocketing dough while others die. And we all KNOW this, and we’ve forgotten it.
Yes, I still like money very much. And I’d like to think we can have both physical and relational abundance. But if you forget your fellow beings, your joy is not true.
Im a huge Akala fan (even wrote a post about him here once I do believe). His facebook and twitter are great ‘must follows’ for a perspective on UK life that doesnt often make it to the media.
Here is one more.
He was responding to this.
Ah yes, terrible man! Actually goes into the neighborhood and listens and comforts. Terrible man.
Listen up, Economist, this IS a political tragedy, and y’all would do well to stop asking us to forget what your beloved austerity and corpse favoring does to us.
PM May invited a group of survivors to 10 Downing today. From HuffPo:
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/theresa-may-grenfell-tower-downing-street_uk_59450d12e4b01eab7a2dfc52?utm_hp_ref=uk&
i hope they tell her nothing less than her resignation will suffice. as if she will change her spots.
Good one!
Thank you for covering the Grenfell Tower tragedy Subir.
It’s all so sad. The sheer awfulness of the factors in the fire and resulting deaths has ripped open, for all to see, the real effects of classism, austerity and disregard for the well-being of those on the lower rungs of the privilege and economic ladder.
The emotional anguish of MP David Lammy:
Then this poor woman showing the demeaning letter local residents just received pouring salt on their wounds:
https://twitter.com/AT_Spurs/status/875724956650405888
It’s all been laid bare.
By the way, the “anti-social and harassing behavior”? Playing with “balls in the area”. Heaven forbid that the kids get to have a little outdoor time.
David Lammy, you are awesome here. Chills.
https://twitter.com/Konnie_Huq/status/875820618415038464
People mobilizing:
The list of fatalities keeps growing!