Former housing minister Gavin Barwell – now Theresa May’s chief of staff – refuses to answer questions on the Grenfell fire
GAVIN BARWELL has refused to answer questions on the Grenfell fire this morning - amid mounting questions about a fire safety review he oversaw delays to.
The ex-MP, who is now Theresa May's chief of staff, said he "can't comment" at the moment when questioned today.
He was asked repeatedly by Sky News about the fire as he entered Downing Street today - but all he said was "I can't comment I'm afraid."
Mr Barwell was the housing minister from July 2016 to June 2017, and oversaw delays to a fire safety review in high-rise buildings.
In October he told MPs that the government had “committed ourselves” to one.
But nothing had been produced by the time Theresa May called a snap election in April. The review had already been on hold for a number of years.
He was asked this morning:
- "Why did you sit on the fire report?"
- "Could the deaths at Grenfell have been avoided?"
- "Do you plan to release the report anytime soon?"
- "Mr Barwell, are you going to release the report?
- "Could Grenfell have been avoided?"
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A former chief fire expert who had called for the needed review said he had heard from Mr Barwell earlier this year and no decision had been taken.
Ronnie King said: "Mr Barwell said he was still looking at it and was preparing to meet with the All-Party group. That's when the election was called and the meeting never happened."
Calls for a review were sparked after six people died and more than 20 were injured at a blaze in Lakanal House in Camberwell in 2009.
Labour leader Corbyn pointed out that recommendations for sprinklers to be installed in high-rise buildings after the fatalities had not been heeded.
Yesterday he made calls for the Government to take over 'empty' houses and give them to survivors of the fire.
And he said that the state might have to “requisition” the houses in the wake of the fire which has left dozens of families homeless.
He visited the site yesterday and met with residents who had lost their homes - and loved ones.
“It can’t be acceptable that in London we have luxury buildings and luxury flats left empty as land banking for the future while the homeless and the poor look for somewhere to live,” he said.
Parts of Kensington are known for their sky-high house prices, with a typical home in some streets worth as much as £10million.
Many of the properties are believed to be owned by foreign millionaires who only live there part of the year.
However, seizing the houses and giving them to former residents of Grenfell Tower would probably be against the law.
But Mrs May was slammed for not meeting victims of the blaze in comparison.
The Prime Minister spoke to emergency workers at the scene of the tower, which caught ablaze early on Wednesday morning.
Some observers said it was an “absolute disgrace” that Mrs May did not engage with the local residents.
One local reportedly told Mr Corbyn: “Theresa May was here but she didn’t speak to any of us. She was s***.”
Other Conservative politicians including Greg Hands, MP for the neighbouring constituency, have met residents.
Asked why she had not met residents, Mrs May replied: "I wanted a briefing from the emergency services." She then paid tribute to their hard work and bravery.
Aides also insisted it was “absolutely not true” that she did not care about their suffering, pointing to her immediate action to call a public inquiry.
Yesterday it was reported that the Prime Minister shed tears in Downing Street for the victims - as she announced a full public inquiry into the horrific fire.
The incident has seen her approval ratings plummet - leaving her as unpopular as Mr Corbyn was before the General Election.
The news came as:
- Lily Allen accuses the Government of being dishonest about the number of victims who have died in the blaze
- The owner of the flat where the fire began told of his agony - and fears the number of dead will pass 100
- An Italian couple's heartbreaking final phone call is revealed as fire crept into their home on the 23rd floor
- The first victim was officially named as a Syrian refugee, Mohammed Al Haj, as the death toll rises to 17
- Police launched a criminal investigation into the tragedy
- And the 'deathtrap' cladding was BANNED in the US - as it was claimed that a fire-proof version of the tiles would have only cost £5,000 more in total