By GMHA (@gmhousingaction)

 

Today marks the third anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea, one of the deadliest peacetime fires in British history that killed 72 people and destroyed the lives of countless more. 

 

For those who were in or around Grenfell Tower on the night of 14 June 2017, who lost their loved ones, friends and homes, for the seven households who have still not been permanently rehoused, and for the estimated 500,000 residents living in homes at risk of catastrophic cladding fires across the country, the horror of Grenfell lives on. 

 

Yet, as we enter the 1096’th day since the fire, not one person has been charged or prosecuted for what happened at Grenfell; the major corporations involved in the tower’s deadly refurbishment - Rydon, Arconic, Celotex, and Artelia - are still trading; and the public inquiry is years away from making its findings. 

 

That’s why it is so important to not only remember what happened at Grenfell and the systemic failures that caused it, but to also scrutinise what has happened since in terms of government and industry (in)action. 

 

We stand in full solidarity with the bereaved, the survivors and the community; who continue to march, continue to commemorate and continue to call for justice. We are committed to play our part in this fight for justice — and to meet the Grenfell community’s call of ‘never forget’.

 

In Manchester you can get involved and support the campaign locally to remove flammable cladding, by getting in touch with the Manchester Cladiators. They tweet at @McrCladiators.

 

Today the Bolton Trades Council with the Bolton Socialist Club are holding a vigil of remembrance at 6.30pm, with speakers from the Grenfell Campaign and our friends at ACORN Manchester. To get on the call, email llanddl.labour@gmail.com.

 

This week, Greater Manchester Housing Action will host an article reflecting on these issues by Phil Murphy, a former Greater Manchester firefighter and housing safety campaigner, Stuart Hodkinson, a housing researcher and author of Safe as Houses.

 

Photo credit, Grenfell United.

 

14 June 2020