Revealed: the tower block fire warnings that ministers ignored

[brooklynite]

Source: The Observer

The extent to which government ministers failed to act on expert warnings about inadequate fire safety rules before the Grenfell Tower disaster in London can be revealed by the Observer.

As public outrage mounted and political pressure grew on Theresa May over the tragedy, former chief fire officer Ronnie King – who is secretary of the all-party parliamentary group on fire safety – said urgent requests for meetings with ministers and action to tighten rules were stonewalled.

King also revealed that ministers had failed to insist that life-saving sprinkler systems were mandatory in the design of new schools in England, despite clear recommendations in reports commissioned by the government itself, which advocated their use.

His criticism came as the prime minister admitted on Saturday that although the emergency services had been “heroic”, support for families of Grenfell Tower victims who needed help after the fire “was not good enough”.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jun/17/tower-block-fire-warnings-grenfell-victims

[Stuart G]

1. k and r...this should do it... prime minister must resign..

This sentence does it................."King also revealed that ministers had failed to insist that life-saving sprinkler systems were mandatory in the design of new schools in England, despite clear recommendations in reports commissioned by the government itself, which advocated their use"

If life saving sprinkler systems are not in new schools...for any reason...that should be the end of that prime minister...and that government....

[mercuryblues]

2. I couldn't agree more

He also asks whether deregulation has been to blame. “Those who mock health and safety, regulations and red tape need to take a hard look at the consequences of cutting these and ask themselves whether Grenfell Tower is a price worth paying.

[hunter]

3. A lesson to anyone who complains about "too much regulation."

[mopinko]

4. especially something like this. i mean, installing sprinklers in

new construction is peanuts. retrofitting is 10 times as much money, at least.
stoooooopid.

[spike91nz]

5. You can't get

A good society on the cheap. The bias toward wealth and power in the formulation of policy will eventually visit its cost upon any society compromising its principles of justice. Capitalism seeks profit in the compromise of reason.

[burrowowl]

7. Yes Britain and the U$ have

been Capitalists Whore since Raygun and Thacher.
And what does it get Drump!

[not fooled]

9. Yep

And they continue the process of attempting to convince the peasantry that it doesn't need services, health care, protective regulations, safety standards, etc.etc. etc.

[Stonepounder]

6. This is what you get from 'austerity'.

Conservatives the world over see only tax-cuts for the wealthy and screw everyone else. How long has our Congress been kicking infrastructure down the road? Poor lives don't matter.

I hate Conservatives.

[ananda]

8. Tories suck at social services.

And yes, May should resign.

But whoever takes her place will be just as bad
or worse.