The deputy Prime Minister has announced Grenfell Tower will be demolished
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00:00So, we understand the Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, told a meeting on Wednesday
00:07that Grenfell Tower will be demolished. This is a big development in a long-running story
00:14after the fire nearly eight years ago. We expect a more formal announcement to be made
00:20on Friday. We have heard some reaction so far. A survivor of the Grenfell Tower blaze
00:27said demolishing the building will put the tragedy out of sight and out of mind. This
00:33came from Emma O'Connor, who lived on the 20th floor of the West London Tower block,
00:41and attended a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, as I said, on Wednesday evening,
00:47where she told survivors and bereaved families the block is to be demolished.
00:53Ms Rayner made this decision after a number of health and safety concerns were made about the
01:00tower, mainly due to its structural integrity. Ms O'Connor added that she understood the tower
01:08was unsafe, but said if it's out of sight it will definitely be out of mind to those who just are
01:15responsible for the tragic deaths. The Deputy Prime Minister's announcement is understood
01:22to have been met with gasps from a shocked room of mostly bereaved people who felt
01:30there had not been enough consultation on the issue. Grenfell United, which represents some
01:37bereaved and survivors, said it appeared from the room that no one supported her decision.