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Sophia Ankel
May 25, 2019
Firefighters are calling out Theresa May after she named the response to Grenfell as one of her successes during her resignation speech on Friday.
In her speech outside 10 Downing Street, May said she was proud of the progress she made during her three years as leader, including arranging "the independent inquiry into the tragedy at Grenfell Tower, to search for the truth, so nothing like it can ever happen again, and so the people who lost their lives that night are never forgotten".
But the fire brigades union responded by issuing a strong statement that very much disagrees with this. Fire Brigade Union general secretary, Matt Wrack called her remark "disgraceful", adding:
Many of the underlying issues at Grenfell were due to unsafe conditions that had been allowed to fester under Tory governments and a council for which Theresa May bears ultimate responsibility.
The inquiry she launched has kicked scrutiny of corporate and government interests into the long grass, denying families and survivors justice while allowing business as usual to continue for the wealthy.
For the outgoing prime minister to suggest that her awful response to Grenfell is a proud part of her legacy is, frankly, disgraceful.
The tragic fire in the residential housing block killed at least 72 people on 14 June, 2017. Since then, according to the latest council figures, of the 202 Grenfell households the council is working with, 16 households are still in temporary accommodation, three are housed in hotels and four are staying in serviced apartments.
An inquiry into the fire was launched in September 2017, but it likely won't conclude before 2021.
As mixed responses flooded social media after the PM's tearful resignation, a handful of people made sure to remind everyone what they believe her actual 'legacy" is.
Campaign group Grenfell United also issued a statement, saying that the next prime minister will "inherit the moral debt" owed by May's government.
It's hard to think of a greater injustice in recent years than Grenfell. We were devastatingly let down by the Government before, during and after the fire. We recognise that after her initial failings Theresa May has personally engaged with survivors and bereaved families, but two years later her personal interventions have not delivered change.
The Government promised that 'no stone will be left unturned' in the fight for justice.
Whoever becomes prime minister will inherit the moral debt owed by this government to the families of 72 people who lost their lives."
HT Metro
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