Grenfell Tower demolition update issued by Angela Rayner after deadly 2017 fire

Angela Rayner has officially announced the Grenfell Tower artifact volition beryllium demolished. We'll beryllium bringing you the latest updates connected this Breaking Politics News story.

Angela Rayner has officially announced the Grenfell Tower artifact volition beryllium demolished - successful a determination that has sparked premix emotions from campaigners.

The Deputy PM confirmed the 24-storey westbound London operation artifact "will beryllium cautiously taken down to the ground" aft years of uncertainty implicit its future. She said it volition apt instrumentality astir 2 years to instrumentality it down, adding that determination volition beryllium nary changes to the operation earlier the eighth day of the deadly blaze successful June.

Some bereaved families person reacted with fury implicit the plan, saying the determination to demolish the artifact feels similar “taking distant our gravestone”. Others said they understood determination were information concerns astir the operation staying up arsenic it is. Many had called for the gathering to beryllium brought down lone to the tenth level truthful portion of it would beryllium retained arsenic a "standing memorial".

The Grenfell Tower inquiry's landmark last report, published successful September, concluded that the deadly 2017 fire, which claimed 72 lives, was the effect of “decades of failure" by those successful power.

It laid bare however Government complacency and manufacture dishonesty and greed led to the 2017 tragedy. Construction manufacturers were recovered blameworthy of “systematic dishonesty”, with firms having “deliberately concealed” accusation astir the dangers of its cladding products.

A petition has been launched by a subsister Emma O'Connor, calling for each those affected to beryllium "effectively consulted" connected the tower's future. It has racked up dozens of signatures already,

Emma O'Connor, who lived connected the 20th level and escaped the burning artifact connected the night, said a determination to demolish the operation should beryllium stalled until determination is much assemblage engagement. She wrote: "We person not been decently consulted oregon engaged with successful making the determination to instrumentality down Grenfell Tower. There has been nary justice. Until determination is, Grenfell Tower indispensable stand." Directly addressing Ms Rayner, Ms O'Connor said she should "show america immoderate respect".

Grenfell United yesterday raised concerns that bereaved families and survivors had not been decently consulted. In a gathering with families earlier this week, they said Ms Rayner "refused to corroborate however galore bereaved and survivors had been spoken to successful the recent, abbreviated 4 week consultation".

The radical said the gathering showed "just however upset bereaved and survivors are astir not having their views heard oregon considered successful this decision", adding: "Ignoring the voices of bereaved connected the aboriginal of our loved one's gravesite is disgraceful and unforgivable"

Grenfell Next of Kin acknowledged that the determination taken by Ms Rayner "must person been difficult" and admitted the gathering cannot beryllium "propped up indefinitely owed to information concerns" implicit the structure.

The radical said a treatment needs to beryllium had astir what volition spell successful the operation block's spot to memorialise their loved ones. "We request to rebuild our breached shattered lives and retired families. And we request to retrieve Grenfell wherever retired kin died successful the astir horrific unimaginable mode not with patronising pandering and performative responses but with respectful conversations due to the fact that that is the lone mode we tin get done this.

"Hope is each we person to substance america towards the bid retired loved ones deserve. Peace and justness is retired goal. That has to beryllium our focus. We beryllium it to our loved ones who died and we beryllium it to our families living."

Keir Starmer connected Thursday insisted that victims of the Grenfell Tower occurrence are successful the government's "mind’s eye” amid accusations that voices of the bereaved are being ignored. The Prime Minister, who was asked astir Grenfell portion connected a sojourn yesterday, said: "Well, I went to the operation past twelvemonth and was truly struck by the value of what I saw and talking to immoderate of the families arsenic well. Obviously a determination has got to beryllium made and the Deputy Prime Minister volition beryllium mounting that retired tomorrow, truthful we volition spot the afloat details connected that."

Asked if helium ignored families of the victims of the catastrophe implicit a determination to demolish the building, Mr Starmer added: "I deliberation archetypal and foremost we bash request to ever person successful our mind's oculus the victims successful this terrible, unspeakable tragedy."

Downing Street said decisions astir Grenfell Tower are a "deeply idiosyncratic matter" for the community. The PM’s spokesperson added: "The Deputy Prime Minister has considered adept accusation astir wellness and safety, intelligence wellness and good being. The Government volition guarantee its determination volition not interfere with the way to justice."

The Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission has been consulting connected plans for a imperishable memorial successful the country of the tower. In a 2023 report, the committee acceptable retired a bid of recommendations for a "sacred space", designed to beryllium a "peaceful spot for remembering and reflecting". It said the abstraction should see a garden, a monument and a dedicated abstraction for the backstage look of grief and mourning for the families who mislaid loved ones.