A survivor of the Grenfell Tower fire has called on Angela Rayner to reconsider her decision to demolish the west London tower block.
Bereaved family members and survivors of the 2017 blaze, which killed 72 people, have been critical of the deputy prime minister’s decision, which she delivered to them in a meeting on Wednesday night.
Speaking on The UK Tonight with Sarah-Jane Mee, Marcio Gomes, who escaped from his 21st-floor flat with his then wife and two daughters, called on Ms Rayner, who is also housing secretary, to “reconsider her decision”.
“There was not one person in the room who agreed with her decision,” he said.
“She didn’t really explain the decision, we just got told what was going to happen.”
He said Ms Rayner “wouldn’t really give any answers” to any questions asked by the bereaved families and survivors.
“I was shocked and quite frankly appalled by it. If you looked around the room, and it was packed, everybody was appalled by the decision – there was a lot of heartbreak, a lot of anger, a lot of tears.
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“The consultation was, in my view, minimal. I can say, in the meeting, I think 90% were not consulted with, including myself.
“Nobody knew what was happening,” he said.
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Other relatives of the victims have also hit out at Ms Rayner’s actions.
Karim Mussilhy, whose uncle died in the fire, said the decision was “unforgivable” and “disgraceful”.
“This conversation is so sensitive, so sacred. This is the last resting place of our families whose deaths were clearly avoidable and we haven’t been involved in these conversations.”
‘Very saddening and hurtful’
Meanwhile, Nabil Choucair – who lost six relatives in the North Kensington tower – said it was “very saddening and hurtful” and called for a “fitting memorial to be designed in its place or within in”.
“It’s about our 72 loved ones, it’s all about them.”
Mr Gomes said he would like any future memorial to maintain the height of the tower though admitted that “everybody is going to have a slightly different view” of the future plans for the site.
But one thing is certain for Mr Gomes: “Grenfell should have been the catalyst for change.”
“And nearly eight years on, not a lot has changed.
“We’re still going through the process, we still haven’t had justice. The victims aren’t being put at the centre of the decisions that are being made.
“It’s almost like they want to knock it down, out of sight, out of mind,” he added.
“This can still happen again. There’s so many buildings up and down the country with this type of cladding.”
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Grenfell United, which represents some bereaved and survivors, 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.”
In September last year, the public inquiry into Grenfell found “systematic dishonesty” contributed to the fire.
Inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick said the “simple truth” was 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”.
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The Metropolitan Police said last year that decisions on criminal charges for the blaze are not expected until the end of 2026.
Sky News has contacted the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government for a response.
