We welcome the sentiment expressed during today’s response; MPs from all parties acknowledged that Grenfell was a travesty that must never be repeated. We appreciate their expressions of concern for our community and its unwavering commitment to preventing future tragedies like Grenfell. We urge all Members of Parliament to translate these words into concrete action. Words alone cannot ensure safety; meaningful changes are required to address the systemic failures that led to the devastating loss of life.
We welcome the concept of a single, unified construction regulator. However, to ensure genuine accountability and prevent a recurrence of past failures, this regulator must be fundamentally resident-centred. We propose that leadership and boardroom positions within this body be filled by individuals elected and empowered by the residents of affected communities. This will ensure lived experience informs decision-making.
The redevelopment plans leading up to Grenfell Tower faced significant objections from our community, not from “NIMBYs” or “ignorant residents,” but from professionals with expertise in architecture, planning, urban design, community relations, and risk management. These concerns were systematically dismissed, and residents were subjected to what we perceive as defamatory and slanderous attacks. We believe this was part of a broader strategy to prioritize profit-driven redevelopment over the safety and well-being of our community.
We are deeply concerned that similar patterns persist, as evidenced by recent actions in Earl’s Court and the Ladbroke Grove Train Disaster memorial area. We believe that robust mechanisms are needed to protect residents from such actions. We advocate for a streamlined and accessible process for residents to seek redress, coupled with significantly increased penalties for those who prioritize profit over safety.
We believe that the root causes of Grenfell lie in unchecked financial interests and systemic impunity. To effect real change, we call for:
- Resident-Led Regulation: A regulatory framework where residents have direct influence over policy and enforcement.
- Meaningful Accountability: A system that holds individuals and organizations accountable for their actions, with clear and enforceable consequences.
- Financial Penalties: Substantial financial penalties for those who violate safety standards, ensuring that the cost of negligence outweighs the potential profit.
- Transparent Processes: Clear, accessible, and transparent mechanisms for residents to report concerns and seek redress.
- Collaboration: Working with other groups and organisations with similar aims, in order to amplify the voices of the community.
- Detailed proposals: We are committed to working with government and industry to create detailed proposals for the implementation of these changes.
We are deeply troubled by what we perceive as a growing acceptance of preventable deaths and miscarriages of justice as a “cost of doing business.” This dehumanization is evident in numerous examples, including Horizon and the undercover policing scandal, as well as the Royal Borough’s actions. We reject the notion that “following orders” or “operating within the rules” absolves individuals of responsibility for their actions.
We demand a society where the people are empowered to regulate, and where the costs of negligence are borne by those responsible and far outweigh any potential profit-motive to defy statutory and regulatory regulatory requirements is severely punished and any mistreatment or harm caused to ordinary people would be eye-wateringly expensive.
We insist that people be prioritized over profits, residents over redevelopment, and that the power to shape our communities rests firmly in the hands of the people from those communities. We will continue to advocate until justice is not something we must ask for, but something we are empowered to deliver whenever and wherever that proves necessary.
