Angela Rayner’s decision to demolish the charred remains of Grenfell Tower has been branded “disgraceful and unforgivable” by bereaved families of the tragedy.
The deputy prime minister met with families and survivors of the fire on Wednesday night to tell them its remains would be demolished, with the tower expected to be replaced by a memorial.
It comes despite previous government assurances that no changes would be made to the site before the eighth anniversary of the disaster, which claimed 72 lives, this June.
Grenfell United, which represents some of the bereaved and survivors of the June 2017 fire, claimed the voices of many loved ones had been ignored.
The group said it had repeatedly urged housing secretaries over the years to “consult the bereaved and survivors meaningfully before reaching a decision on the tower”.
But in a damning statement responding to the decision, the group said: "Angela Rayner could not give a reason for her decision to demolish the tower.
"She refused to confirm how many bereaved and survivors had been spoken to in the recent, short four-week consultation.
"But judging from the room alone – the vast majority of whom were bereaved – no one supported her decision. But she claims her decision is based on our views."
Sir Keir Starmer refused to be drawn on the decision, saying that Ms Rayner will set out the full details on Friday.
But he said: “I went to the tower last year and was really struck by the significance of what I saw and talking to some of the families as well.”
Asked if he ignored families of the victims of the Grenfell Tower disaster over a decision to demolish the building, Sir Keir added: "I think first and foremost we do need to always have in our mind's eye the victims in this terrible, terrible tragedy."
Emma O’Connor, who lived on the 20th floor of the tower and narrowly escaped the fire with her partner Luke, warned that demolishing the building would allow those responsible for the tragedy to move on and forget about it.
She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We understand that it is unsafe, but if it is out of sight, it will definitely be out of mind for those who are responsible for the tragic deaths.”
Ms O’Connor also lashed out at Labour’s deregulatory agenda, part of the government’s push to grow the economy.
She said the push “turned her stomach” and is incompatible with government claims it will learn from the Grenfell tragedy.
“You can't speak about deregulation and say that you're going to keep your promises to Grenfell survivors and the bereaved when deregulation caused the fire in the first place,” she added.
Downing Street indicated there were no plans to change course on the decision in the wake of the outcry, adding that it is a “deeply personal matter” for the community and Ms Rayner is prioritising meeting and writing to the bereaved and survivors.
But London mayor Sadiq Khan called on ministers to ensure the decision is “handled with the utmost care, respect and sensitivity”.
“Whilst we wait for more details from government, we should all bear in mind that any decision on the future of Grenfell Tower is profoundly personal to all those impacted,” a spokesperson for Mr Khan said.
He added: “The Grenfell Tower fire was an appalling tragedy, and we will always remember the 72 people who lost their lives. We owe it to the people who died, their loved ones and those who survived to ensure that nothing like it ever happens again.”
Another group representing bereaved groups, Grenfell Next Of Kin, said Ms Rayner had “announced the decision that the tower will have to be carefully deconstructed”.
In a previous update, the government said structural engineering advice remained unchanged “in that the building (or that part of it that was significantly damaged) should be carefully taken down”.
A Grenfell Next Of Kin spokesperson said the decision around the tower’s future was “obviously a very sensitive and difficult” one.
They added: “For the next of kin of the deceased, that building is a shrine and the death place of their immediate families, their brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, husbands, wives and children – but they understand the hard facts around safety.”
What is left of the tower has stood in place since the fatal fire on 14 June 2017 with a covering on the building featuring a large green heart accompanied by the words “forever in our hearts”.
Views have varied on what should happen on the site, with some bereaved and survivors feeling the tower should remain in place until there are criminal prosecutions over the failings that led to the fire.
The final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, published in September, concluded the disaster was the result of “decades of failure” by government and the construction industry to act on the dangers of flammable materials on high-rise buildings.
The west London block was covered in combustible products because of the “systematic dishonesty” of firms who made and sold the cladding and insulation, inquiry chairperson Sir Martin Moore-Bick said.
He said the “simple truth” is that all the deaths were avoidable and that those who lived in the tower were “badly failed” by authorities “in most cases through incompetence but, in some cases, through dishonesty and greed”.
Police and prosecutors said, in May last year, that investigators would need until the end of 2025 to complete their inquiry, with final decisions on potential criminal charges by the end of 2026.
The near 10-year wait for justice has been described by families as “unbearable”.
Separately, the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission has been consulting on plans for a permanent memorial in the area of the tower.
In a 2023 report, the commission set out a series of recommendations for a “sacred space”, designed to be a “peaceful place for remembering and reflecting”.
It said the space should include a garden, a monument and a dedicated space for the private expression of grief and mourning for the families who lost loved ones.
A shortlist of five potential design teams was announced last month, and a winning design team is set to be selected this summer.
Grenfell United said the meeting with Ms Rayner "showed just how upset bereaved and survivors are about not having their views heard or considered in this decision".
The group added: "Ignoring the voices of bereaved on the future of our loved ones' gravesite is disgraceful and unforgivable".
Yvette Cooper on Thursday backed Ms Rayner in the row, saying she “has been meeting with Grenfell survivors and families for a very long time”.
“That is her priority, having further discussions and ensuring people were consulted,” the home secretary told LBC.
She added: “I know that has been a huge personal priority for her, because this is so devastating, everything that has happened there.”
A government spokesperson said: “The priority for the deputy prime minister is to meet with and write to the bereaved, survivors and the immediate community to let them know her decision on the future of the Grenfell Tower.
“This is a deeply personal matter for all those affected, and the deputy prime minister is committed to keeping their voice at the heart of this.”
More details will be set out by the government by the end of the week.
