WATCH: Safety at Grenfell Tower wasn’t a ‘technical issue’ – it might as well have been murder
Diane Abbott: Is anybody pig-headed enough to suggest she get her facts wrong about this?
The thing to remember about the Conservative government’s position on safety at Grenfell Tower is: It is an attempt to justify many, many deaths.
Mr Raab knows that these people died because the cladding put onto the building by the Conservative-run local council was highly flammable, because there was no sprinkler system, and because there was only one exit.
He also knows the reason for these failings: The so-called “bonfire of red tape” (I know – how ironic those words are, in retrospect) ordered by former Conservative prime minister David Cameron.
So he knows that, when the decisions were made to save money by cutting back on these important safety features, Conservative politicians may as well have been signing death warrants for the people living in Grenfell Tower.
But he tries to describe it as a “technical issue”. Mealy-mouthed, wishy-washy doubletalk.
No wonder Diane Abbott jumped down his throat. No wonder this audience member tore his argument to shreds.
Why aren’t we all doing that – repeatedly – until the Tories finally accept responsibility for their decisions?
"It's murder".
The only two words that are needed over Grenfell, from an audience member #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/NTMNYmXNju
— Steve Topple (@MrTopple) May 17, 2018
Labour’s Diane Abbott tore into a Tory minister … for branding Grenfell safety a “technical issue” in a furious TV clash.
The top MP hit out at Housing Minister Dominic Raab on the BBC’s Question Time after a chaotic day for the government.
Ministers revealed … they will “consult” on banning all flammable cladding hours after an official report failed to do so.
But Shadow Home Secretary Ms Abbott demanded ministers “issue a directive today” to enforce a ban.
“Would you live in a house that was covered in combustible cladding?” she asked.
Housing Minister Dominic Raab said it was a “technical issue”, adding it was important to get the definition of combustible right.
But Ms Abbott shot back: “The 71 people that died were not a technical issue.
“You need to step up!”
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“Housing Minister Dominic Raab said it was a “technical issue”, adding it was important to get the definition of combustible right.”
There you go, Raab:
Oxford English Dictionary: “Able to catch fire and burn easily.” wasn’t too difficult, was it? Perhaps Raab should invest some of our taxes in a dictionary?
No one will be charged, the legal system is there to protect them
They are going to wriggle and squirm like a can of worms. Tories will not take responsibility for any failure and they’ll blame anyone, including victims, rather than face up to the nasty consequences of their dereliction of duty.
to be a Tory – is to be obsessed by money —-
” … it was important to get the definition of combustible right …”
It’s a shame the Martyrs of Grenfell can’t share in the nuances of that definition, Mr Rabb.