Grenfell United: Human life was never a priority
Grenfell United has said the victims of the fire 'paid the price' for the 'systematic dishonesty and institutional indifference' found at every level by the Inquiry.
Survivor Natasha Elcock called on Sir Keir Starmer's government to prioritise and tackle the 'social injustice and racial inequality' highlighted by the tragedy. Report by Alibhaiz. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Survivor Natasha Elcock called on Sir Keir Starmer's government to prioritise and tackle the 'social injustice and racial inequality' highlighted by the tragedy. Report by Alibhaiz. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
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NewsTranscript
00:00Today's report speaks to the lack of competence, understanding and fundamental failure to perform
00:07the most basic duties of care.
00:10We paid the price of systematic dishonesty, institutional indifference and neglect.
00:18The government ignored warnings about dangerous cladding from as early as 1991.
00:24It knew the risks but failed to prevent them, revealing the greed and profiteering of an
00:31industry that has been poorly regulated by governments over decades.
00:37It uncovers the systematic failings at the TMO and RBKC which created a toxic, calculated
00:44culture which marginalised its residents.
00:50It shows the senior management at the London Fire Brigade knew about the risk of cladding
00:55fires but did nothing to prepare.
00:59But above all, the judge concludes what we already knew, that every single loss of life
01:05that night was avoidable.
01:08Human life was never a priority and we lost friends, neighbours and loved ones in the
01:15most horrific way through greed, corruption, incompetence and negligence.
01:21The recommendations published today are basic safety principles that should already exist,
01:29highlighting how the government's role, duties and obligations have been hollowed out by privatisation.
01:37Where voids were created as the government outsourced their duties, Kingspan, Celatex
01:43and Arconic filled the gaps with substandard and combustible materials.
01:49They were allowed to manipulate the testing regimes, fraudulently and knowingly market
01:55their products as safe.
01:59Today we send a message to Keir Starmer and his government.
02:03This country has been failed by governments of all political persuasions.
02:08Our expectation is your government will break old habits and implement all the recommendations
02:15made by Sir Martin Morbick's report without further delay, because the time to address
02:20this is already three decades too late.
02:23For the report to be worth anything, it must be and bring systematic change.
02:29To prevent another tragedy like Grenfell, your government needs to create something
02:34that doesn't exist.
02:36You must become a government with the power and ability to separate itself from the construction
02:42industry and corporate lobbying.
02:45A government that prioritises and tackles the glaring structural injustices and social
02:50and racial inequalities of the people you serve.
02:53You must now finally make this the turning point for Britain.
02:57To the police and the Crown Prosecution Service, it's now on to you to deliver justice.
03:02To bring charges to those culpable for the deaths of our loved ones.
03:07We would like to thank the public for their continuous support of the bereaved survivors
03:11and the Grenfell community.
03:13You were there for us when it happened.
03:15We ask for you to continue to stand with us, to stand for what's right and help us in holding
03:21those responsible to account.
03:25Finally, to the 54 adults and 18 children whose lives got cut short in the most violent
03:32way, we will never give up fighting for justice for you and you will forever be in our hearts.