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Morning Briefing: second Grenfell anniversary marked
Two years since Grenfell, survivors and bereaved gather near the tower and demands for justice grow louder
In the news
The Guardian starts the day with an article on the survivors and the bereaved, who today will gather at Grenfell Tower to pray, release doves, share food and march in silence.
As they remember the 72 people who died, campaigners tell the Guardian they are becoming increasingly angry at the slow pace of justice.
Also in the Guardian is a powerful piece by editor-at-large Gary Younge, who argues that society in general is partly to blame for the fire.
With very little of consequence having changed in the past two years, he says, it is people’s lack of indignation that will be responsible if another disaster occurs.
The New Statesman has published a piece enumerating exactly what has and hasn’t changed since the fire, despite politicians’ promises.
The article particularly focuses on the failures to make existing buildings safe by removing dangerous cladding or replacing faulty fire doors.
Marking the anniversary, the BBC reports on the latest statistics from the government on the removal of Grenfell-style cladding.
According to the figures, which have changed very slowly in the past few months, 328 high-rise buildings are still covered in Grenfell-style cladding.
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The BBC also carries an interactive piece on robot-built housing, explaining the wave of innovation that is set to disrupt the construction industry.
It looks at a Swiss centre, which demonstrates how homes can be designed by computers, produced by a 3D printer and built by robots.
Meanwhile, the Evening Standard has the horrifying news that homeless people have been set on fire while sleeping rough in south London.
Scotland Yard has said it is investigating after there were arson attacks around George Street and Surrey Street in Croydon during the early hours of Monday.
Elsewhere, the Guardian has an article on the difficulties immigrants’ children have accessing basic benefits.
It reports on research that found the Home Office is increasingly using powers widened by Theresa May in 2012 to deny benefits and support even to British children if their parents are immigrants.
In local news, Manchester Evening News reports on plans by the council to give people in overcrowded homes quicker access to social housing.
According to the paper, the new plans would also disqualify residents who have lived in Manchester for less than two years from joining the waiting list.
Further south, Brighton & Hove News reports that the council is preparing to buy whole blocks of flats to use as temporary accommodation for homeless people.
The plan is being mooted as a response to the cost of providing temporary accommodation, which has risen from £1.2m to £2.8m in the past three years.
On social media
2 years after Grenfell people are still going to bed at night in buildings wrapped in dangerous cladding, with no sprinklers & fire doors not fit for purpose. Join @GrenfellUnited to #DemandChange: t.co/aPuCJ1j4a7 t.co/nwP0IaQi1f
— michael sheen (@michaelsheen)2 years after Grenfell people are still going to bed at night in buildings wrapped in dangerous cladding, with no sprinklers & fire doors not fit for purpose. Join @GrenfellUnited to #DemandChange: https://t.co/aPuCJ1j4a7 https://t.co/nwP0IaQi1f
— michael sheen (@michaelsheen) June 13, 2019
What’s on
- Today at 6.15pm, Grenfell survivors and the bereaved will lay a wreath at the tower. This will be followed by a multi-faith vigil at 7pm and from 7.45pm the group will make a silent walk from Silchester Road W11. All are welcome and Grenfell United has asked that attendees wear something green.
