Grenfell Tower: What Can We Do?

Written by Stephanie Kleanthous

Illustrated by Robert Peace

Today marks three years since the Grenfell Tower tragically caught on fire and at least 72 lives were lost.

In November 2016, seven months before the fire, “the Grenfell Action Group warned of ‘dangerous living conditions’ and said: ‘It is a truly terrifying thought but the Grenfell Action Group firmly believe that only a catastrophic event will expose the ineptitude and incompetence of our landlord, the KCTMO (The Kensington & Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation).'”

Three years after a catastrophic event and still not all of the survivors have been housed into permanent accommodation. Three years later and still the government have not implemented the correct preventative measures on all other buildings. Three years later and still the government’s charades of “solidarity” mean nothing.

Johnson claimed this morning that he is committed to “uncovering the causes of this tragedy”. The causes have been known all along: institutional racism, classism and negligence. He has now set up a £1 billion fund to remove dangerous cladding, however, this “will only be sufficient to cover the cost of removal from a third of the 1,700 buildings needing work.”

The Support Grenfell website explains: “not enough has been done to make the 23,000 households with Grenfell style ACM cladding, and up to 500,000 people living with other non ACM flammable cladding, safe from fire. The problem is further magnified by COVID 19 and the fact we are being asked to stay in our homes more than ever before.”

While our government may not be doing all that they can, we can still help and push for change.

• Click here to write to your local MP, demanding that the government commit to:

1. A deadline to remove all ACM and non ACM flammable cladding systems
2. A detailed timeline of how they will achieve this
3. The Government being held accountable if they fail again

• Click here to sign the petition to replace all flammable cladding on buildings in the UK.
• Show your support and solidarity tonight.

Remember their names.