Some reading this might be wondering why our post is headed with a picture including Rock Feilding-Mellen and Boris Johnson (somebody said they “look like they are going grouse shooting in Little Scrubs in that picture!” ) Please bear with us and all will be revealed ……
As if Grenfell survivors, the bereaved and our community hadn’t already been through enough, the last few days have been upsetting for so many here:
– The first thing was the news that the Government had put Rydon, the main contractors responsible for the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower, on the Crown Commercial Service Construction Works and Associated Services construction framework list – a list from which public sector bodies (including councils) can choose contractors bidding for public sector buildings (including high rises). Words really fail us sometimes.
The Government’ s response has been to blame the EU rules and say that they are not allowed to exclude Rydon Apparently Rydon could be banned if they were charged with an offence.(Well, we’re thinking along the lines of “corporate manslaughter”)
Here is what some have said on Twitter:
Here is Inside Housing with more, plus the respone from Grenfell United:
– The next thing, was hearing the recording of the LBC Radio Nick Ferrari Phone in with Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Conservative Leader of the House (hopefully he won’t be in that position for too much longer), in which Rees-Mogg said “The more one’s read over the weekend about the report and about the chances of people surviving, if you just ignore what you’re told and leave you are so much safer.And I think if either of us were in a fire, whatever the fire brigade said, we would leave the burning building. It just seems the common sense thing to do. And it is such a tragedy that that didn’t happen.”
Grenfell United on Twitter said this:
Here is Rees-Mogg’s supposed “apology”: “I profoundly apologise. What I meant to say is that I would have also listened to the fire brigade’s advice to stay and wait at the time. However, with what we know now and with hindsight I wouldn’t and I don’t think anyone else would.What’s so sad is that the advice given overrides common sense because everybody would want to leave a burning building.I would hate to upset the people of Grenfell if I was unclear in my comments. With hindsight and after reading the report no one would follow that advice. That’s the great tragedy.”
Here is today’ s Daily Mirror featuring a response to that from Chair of Grenfell United and friend of this blog, Natasha Elcock:
Here is what Peter Apps, Deputy Editor of Inside Housing Tweeted:
And here is how Stormzy responded :
And here, from the LBC website is what James O’Brien said in response
We think Jacob Rees-Mogg should read this My West London piece and what Grenfell survivor Antonio Roncolato had to say:
https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/i-tried-escape-impossible-grenfell-17205874
Then Mr Rees -Mogg should have the “common sense” to resign, and the “hindsight” to think before he speaks and causes further offence to others in the future.
And as for professional pillock MP Andrew Bridgen defending him, the less said about that the better, but this from. The New Statesman, is rather good:
More about Jacob Rees-Mogg’s background here:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Rees-Mogg
But Jacob isn’t as clever with regards to considering what he says as he is with putting away his finances, because if he was, then perhaps he might have remembered his friend and co-founder of Somerset Capital Management, Dominic Johnson and Dominic’s background.
Because Dominic Johnson ( no relation to Boris) is at least more than an acquaintance of “Jailhouse Rock”:
Dominic Johnson was an RBKC Conservative councillor for (the now defunct) St Charles Ward in North Kensington from 2006- 2010 – alongside Rock Feilding-Mellen and of course, a few years later, Rock Feilding-Mellen was responsible for signing off the fatal refurbishment of Grenfell Tower.
Dominic was still an RBKC councillor when he co- founded Somerset Capital Management alongside Rees-Mogg, Edward Robertson and with the backing of Crispin Odey.
Someone else who we happen to regard as a “professional pillock” – and who is still an RBKC councillor, (though he was recently expelled from the Tories after being exposed campaigning for the Brexit Party) and on St Charles Ward alongside Dominic and Rock, is Cllr Matthew Palmer.
Our Prime Minister appears for some reason, to think that appointing someone who does not appear to possess empathy, and who doesn’t allegedly pay his fair share of tax, to the position of a cabinet minister, is perfectly acceptable.
Boris, when Mayor of London, also thought that making drastic cuts to our fire services was perfectly acceptable. But with an election next month, the people of this country at least have the opportunity to show him it isn’t .
And here, below, is that picture again featuring (l to r) Rock Feilding-Mellen, Matthew Palmer, Boris Johnson and Dominic Johnson.
We also wonder how well acquainted with “Jailhouse Rock” Boris Johnson happens to be ?
THis Is North Kensington 