Grenfell campaigners call for government to set deadline to remove all cladding

Grenfell Tower campaigners are urging the government to commit to a deadline to remove all flammable cladding from homes

ANNIVERSARY: Grenfell Tower Photo credit: Steve Parsons/PA

JUSTICE4GREFELL is encouraging people to write to their MPs demanding a time-frame and detailed plan on how and when the cladding will be removed.

The call comes ahead of the three-year anniversary of the fire which killed 72 people.

The government said it has been “working tirelessly” to identify all the buildings currently at risk.

Housing Secretary James Brokenshire last year said he expected all the cladding to be removed this month, however thousands of homes are still covered in the aluminium composite panels.

Justice4Grenfell said the government needed to act “with urgency” and ensure the safety of half a million people living in these homes.

Spokeswoman Yvette Williams said: “For the people affected there is still no clear understanding of the time-frame to have these panels removed.

“We believe the government needs to act with urgent and set clear timings for completion and take accountability for an expedient removal.

“Over 23,000 households are still covered in Grenfell-style flammable cladding three years after the disaster.

“The fight for change and justice must continue as many thousands of people’s lives are at risk.”

The group’s campaign has been supported by a number of high-profile figures including Tinie Tempah, Ella Eyre, Lily Allen, Mo Gilligan and Maro Itoje.

Labour MP Richard Burgon and various unions – including GMB, RMT and ASLEF – have also backed the call.

This Sunday will mark three years since the west London fire, and will see a number of services take place.

Humanity For Grenfell will host a church service at 11am, with an evening of reflection and remembrance being lead by Grenfell United at 6pm.

Churches across London – including St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and Southwark Cathedral – will ring their bells 72 times in honour of the victims.

A Government spokesman said: “The safety of residents is our top priority and since the Grenfell Tower fire we have worked tirelessly with councils to identify buildings at risk and ensure they are made safe.

“We are providing £1.6 billion for the removal and replacement of unsafe cladding from high-rise buildings and are bringing forward the biggest legislative changes in a generation to provide further enforcement powers against those who do not comply with the law, and ensuring that residents’ safety is at the heart of the construction process.”

Comments Form

3 Comments

  1. | Maureen Hamill

    I am disgusted at how the government has failed to implement the various recommendations following the inquiry into the terrible tragedy of Grenfell.

    Reply

  2. | Sylvia Willmot

    Stop the dithering and procrastination and get on with it.

    Reply

  3. | Glynis Nicholson

    Shame on this government! Three years is far to long, for the residents living in these atrocious & life threatening conditions.! They need, and deserve, action now!

    Reply

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