Residents near Grenfell express concerns about new regulations, citing delays and government accountability.
The inquiry’s findings came out last September. Nora, who lives near Grenfell Tower, said 72 deaths shouldn’t be needed for action. She doesn’t know why it took so long and feels issues still get ignored.
Nora is upset at how residents were treated, reporting problems, but no one listened. Her niece needed a fob to exit the tower during a visit. She asks how people could escape that way. Her son still grieves his friend’s death in the fire, as the boy’s entire family died.
Alexyia Jolly, 19, sees merit in the idea, but doubts government follow-through. She has lived on the estate her whole life and remembers the fire’s night. Alexyia feels someone must be held accountable, stating that contractors profited as people died. She thinks opposing probes makes no sense.
One resident of 50 years is cautious of impact, saying the UK is not efficient anymore. The UK needs a leader with real “backbone” who can create change, they hope. Emma O’Connor escaped the 20th floor in a lift, watching the announcement on TV.
Emma says lessons should be learned from Lakanal House, a fire that killed six back in 2009. Emma wants Grenfell Tower to stay standing, reminding people why regulations must exist. She started a petition for Rayner to stop demolition.
Emma urged faster removal of unsafe cladding, saying fire engines can’t prevent every death. “There will be another deadly Grenfell.” People should not fear fire in their sleep.
Kimia Zabihyan welcomed the announcement, wanting justice for the victims’ families. Kimia and 13 survivors attended the speech. They respect Rayner but feel frustrated.
Kimia said regulations should have existed already, and seventy-two deaths shouldn’t be needed for action. One survivor asked why her mother had to die for new building rules. Kimia feels like no laws existed before the fire. Now they share new rules and competency checks, which should have been there long ago.
The regulator will monitor building safety. It will sign off on bodies that assess construction products. The government also launched a paper on new rules for the construction products sector. These changes tighten all rules on testing and also cover certification and product use.
The government accepts 49 of 58 inquiry tips fully that Sir Martin Moore-Bick made in September. The government accepts nine tips “in principle,” needing more thought through consultations. Rayner said they’d act on all the inquiry’s findings. The report exposed failures that led to fire. She speaks of deep injustices the survivors endured.
Rayner says they are acting on all findings, taking tough action to change systems. This will prevent future tragedies like Grenfell’s. She wants greater accountability now, and they will strengthen rules. Residents will be central to decisions.
Rayner states that basic change is needed now. They owe that to the Grenfell community and to the country too. They must honor those who lost their lives. The government also promises a legal duty of candour through a new Hillsborough Law.
The Hillsborough Law will apply for public authorities. They will professionalize fire assessors too, and issue a certificate of competence. The government is rethinking fire safety standards. This covers building fire safety in England.
They will consult on a new fire college. Evacuation plans from high-rise buildings will continue. The government will continue training programs. They are trying to empower social housing residents. Residents can challenge landlords regarding safety. They will move all fire roles to housing ministry. The government has apologized for its part and still support the police investigation.