Grenfell MP Says Building Safety Crisis Must Be Top Of Government Agenda

Labour MP for Kensington and Bayswater Joe Powell has said that the Grenfell Inquiry report coming out this week will be a “huge moment” for the community, and hopes it will lead to the Government holding a debate on building safety in Parliament.

A devastating fire broke out in the Grenfell Tower high-rise block in Kensington, London, on 14 June 2017, killing 72 people and injuring more than 70 others. It was the worst residential fire in the UK since the Blitz of World War II.

On Wednesday, Phase 2 of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry will be published, expected to look in more detail at the causes of the fire and the decision-making by authorities and companies which led to it. The report will be made available to bereaved and survivors on Tuesday before going public at 11am on Wednesday, with a Government statement expected later that afternoon.

The inquiry was originally set up by former prime minister Theresa May in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, with the Phase 1 report, which presented evidence on the events which took place on the day and gave a number of recommendations on improving fire safety, was published in 2019.

In the years since, many of these recommendations are yet to be implemented and thousands of buildings still have dangerous, flammable cladding similar to Grenfell Tower. Just last week, a large fire spread through the Spectrum Building tower block in Dagenham, London – a building which was in the process of having non-compliant cladding removed.

Powell was elected as the new MP for Kensington this year, with one of his key campaign messages being that he would “listen, support and amplify the campaign for those responsible to be held accountable”.

“Wednesday is going to be about remembering the