đŸ”„ Grenfell Fire

You’ll be amazed to find out a lot of people do they just don’t post it as it’ll start a war between tory cunts, sandal wearers and yours truly.

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Just been listening to a bloke on LBC. Apparently, Dubai inspected all buildings over four floors in height within a week, before making the orders you speak of.

Theresa May is launching a public enquiry, meaning probably nothing will happen for years, if ever.

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Exactly. A public enquiry will take months to set up, a couple of years at least to reach a conclusion, then we will be told that ‘Lessons will be learned’. If past public enquiries are anything to go by it will take months to appoint a chair. Small fortunes will be made by lawyers, advisors etc. Hopefully people won’t stand for it, treat it with the contempt it deserves. Before any public enquiry there should be a police enquiry into corporate manslaughter at the very least. Starting right now. Does anybody believe that if some jobbing builder made repairs to a house, bodged every job, used the cheapest and non fireproof cladding, and the house went up in smoke with the occupants burnt alive he wouldn’t be down the nick right now? Of course he would. For this government a public enquiry will be seen as a way of buying some time, sidefooting it into the long grass. I have a feeling they won’t get away with it, people are too angry. The buck for this scandalous disaster stops right at the top, and people know it. And so do Theresa May and her government. That’s why she didn’t even acknowledge the survivors and residents today, let alone talk to them. She knew what questions would be asked of her, and when she went into one of her handwringing sermons about ‘lessons being learned’ etc in response, she knew what reaction it would get. Someone once said that ‘events’ are the deciding things in politics. I think this tragic ‘event’ will finish Theresa May and this Conservative government. As more comes out about decisions made by government ministers who had responsibilities regarding building regs and fire safety. Already there are rumblings about links between politicians and these management companies running social housing, and large house building construction companies. They really can’t run away from this one, it is a fact that an estimated 90% of residents of this tower block signed petitions warning that a catstrophe like this fire would happen, and these petitions blogs and letters to officials are in the public domain.

The charred remains of Grenfell Tower should be left where it is, as it is, standing as a monument to the political philosophy of austerity, and where this philosophy inevitably ends.

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Theresa May with her vile soundbite bullshit. “Spoke to the emergency services” - how about facing some residents and families of the victims? Strong and stable leadership. Strong and stable accommodation is what people deserve. They just don’t appear to give a flying fuck.

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The general message seems to be

thanks for the thoughts and prayers but we’d prefer safe housing and a funded fire service.

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Follow the money.

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Spot on @nottarf-krap

It’s my litmus test for any initiative or backtracking initiated by our political"leaders". I really don’t understand why Joe Public puts up with the constant lies, deceit and self interest shown by our elected representatives 
they’ve obviously got us sussed as mug ounters .

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ounters = punters

I’m afraid that is true, but i reaally do believe the scales are starting to fall from people’s eyes. The figure of 9 million has been given as the cost of the recent refurbishment of Grenfell Tower. The general public have a right to be told how this 9 million was divied up, who got what, and what did they get it for? Grenfell Tower was built with public money, our money. Apparently just 300,000 of this 9 million would have paid for a sprinkler system. So why wasn’t it installed? People have a right to know. How much was creamed off in ‘consultancy’ fees and the like. I can guarantee it was a darn sight more than 300,000. This is public money at the end of the day. With these vultures when there is a choice between 300 grand on a much needed sprinkler system, or an extra 300 grand to line already wealthy pockets it is no contest.

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I guess the question is how do we translate public abhorrence of Theresa’s response to this into something that will result in real change for the people that live in high rise towers and more importantly curb the financial freedom of the property speculators and those who benefit from current lax regulations. I mean, how does a Syrian refugee die in a safe place in a safe country due to what appears to be cost cutting to maximize profit?

I don’t have any answers apart from twatting then repeatedly with a length of 2x4 until it bleeds.

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Sajid Javid was on BBC breakfast earlier: first report into the fire will be available later today or perhaps over the weekend.

Will be interesting to see how the locals react to his planned visit to the scene later today. Suspect he won’t grt an easy ride after the fiasco of May’s visit.

The original works package was tendered and “won” by Leadbitter Construction (built Staplewood) at over 11 million, although this was apparently over budget. Rydons won the re-tender at just over 9 million, but I assume the scope of works would have been assembled by the Employer and their reps (KCTMO?). I’m not suggesting corners were cut, but a price that is 20 odd % less than the market rates told the previous year should surely be scrutinised for errors or compromises.

It isn’t a legal or building regulations requirement to install sprinkler systems in buildings over a certain age, but it has been recommended numerous times, most presciently through Coroner conclusions following similar tragic incidents - the fire in Shirley Towers being an example close to home where two Firefighters tragically died. Inevitably, the decision not to install them is very likely to be, as always, financially motviated. It should be set in legislation.

It is an issue that has always been kicked into the long grass by Politicans. Sure, they have made recommendations to Councils and Social Landlords, but nothing that is enforceable. Hopefully, we’ll see that comprehensive fire safetymeasures are now to be retro fitted across all aging high rises. But like you NK I fear the public enquiry will be protracted, difficult and compromised.

I heard on the radio this morning that the Police have announced a criminal investiagtion and the HSE will be able to prosecute too, should they find grounds to do so.

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What I cannot understand is why the outward aesthetics of the building was put ahead of safety systems - it doesnt make sense on any level.

and quite why sprinkler systems etc are not conpulsory in these buildings is beyond me.

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And are the working classes are just ignored? You can bet your bottom dollar they are

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As awful as this tragedy has been, the timing couldnt be better. Just as people are begining to turn against Tory austerity (and lets not forget that this was a choice) we get a disaster on a major scale that highlights the issues of this dreaful ideology. Yet Hypocondriac calls socialsim dangerous on TSW (little wonder we dont see him here now). What could be more dangerous than this “capitalist” failure to protect lives? It is a traavesty that people have had to die in this way, but if changes are made and more lives are saved down the line as a result, then some small measure of comfort may be taken. But the simple point is that people should not have to die before the right thing is done.

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From the Huffington Post:

Introduced in 2006, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order meant building owners were responsible for assessing fire risk in multi-occupancy buildings, not the fire service.

The old system of fire brigades issuing safety certificates was scrapped in the biggest revision of fire safety guidance since 1971.

So by placing the onus on the landlord the government has created an environment when fire saftey abuses can occur and go unnoticed.

You do know Sadiq Khan was confronted too? The locals are raging against anyone in authority, including even the police yesterday.