Will the survivors of Grenfell ever know peace?

Eight years later and not a single person has been convicted for the death of 72 people during the Grenfell tower fire, yet the Labour Party has decided it's time to demolish the tower block. Angela Rayner recently announced the news of demolition and announced that it would take roughly two years. 

In summary, the Grenfell fire was the deadliest structural fire in the UK since 1988. The fire broke out in the tower block in 2017, costing many lives, leaving many families bereaved and many more without a roof over their heads. A report into the fire found that it was a result of “decades of failure” by the government and the construction industry.

“The fire resulted from decades of negligence in the construction industry, including failure to act on the dangers of using combustible materials.”

The decision to demolish Grenfell came without the agreement of the survivors or bereaved families. While the government claims to build a memorial in place of the tower, many don’t believe it's enough, and they’re not wrong. There is a need for a criminal case against those responsible for the poor insulation and flammable cladding.

Grenfell United, a group that represents some of the survivors of the fire, made this statement:

“Angela Rayner could not give a reason for her decision to demolish the Tower. She refused to confirm how many bereaved and survivors had been spoken to in the recent, short four-week consultation. But judging from the room alone – the vast majority of whom were bereaved – no one supported her decision.”

The government decisions that caused the fire prioritised profit over resident safety, costing 72 lives, 18 of which were children. No one has been convicted yet they’re prompt to demolish the building and move on? Leaving those impacted by the tragic fire without any peace or closure. 

Emma O’Connor, one of Grenfell’s survivors said: “If Grenfell Tower is taken down now, we will become invisible again.” And she’s not alone in her discontent. 

The public is angry and the government isn’t listening. It seems as though the mishandling of Grenfell wasn’t just a Tory thing, with Labour sharing their lack of basic human empathy

While it can be argued that the demolition of the tower was inevitable, and rightly so, the manner in which the government has gone about it has been simply rude to the survivors and the bereaved. They should have not only consulted with those affected but also ensured that they have all been placed in permanent housing before having to watch their previously beloved home be demolished.