Daily Mirror

You scumbag

Star Stormzy attacks Rees-Mogg over sickening Grenfell comment

- BY MATTHEW YOUNG m.young@mirror.co.uk @MatthewYou­ng7

I’m horrified that Rees-Mogg has made it our fault... It is rude, crude and heartless AALYA MOSES GRENFELL RESIDENT WHO ESCAPED THE BLAZE

GRIME superstar Stormzy has led calls for Jacob Rees-Mogg to resign over his Grenfell Tower comments, describing the Tory as a “scumbag”.

The Commons Leader was discussing the inquiry report into the 2017 tragedy on LBC radio when he said residents should have used “common sense” and fled despite firefighte­rs’ stay-put advice.

Survivors and the bereaved said they were “appalled” by the comments about the 2017 tragedy, in which 72 died.

Stormzy, who rapped about Grenfell at the Brit Awards and took part in a fundraisin­g single to help victims, said of Rees-Mogg: “You need to resign, you’re an actual piece of s***.

“(It’s) as if to say ‘come on bro, they were just dumb’, as if those who lost their lives weren’t smart enough to escape.

“Let’s bear in mind for two seconds how horrifying and terrifying the situation would of been for the victims.

“And then imagine they’re being instructed by firefighte­rs – trusted authoritie­s – to stay put. This scumbag is saying ‘well boy, you lot are dumb to have listened to them’.”

Aalya Moses, 58, who escaped the inferno from her fourth floor flat, said: “I’m horrified he’s made it our fault. It is rude, crude and heartless.” Labour’s David Lammy said last night: “People like Jacob Rees-Mogg basically think it was their fault. And I think that’s just ugly and slightly sinister really.

“He actually should just go – what he said and implied is so monstrous that an apology doesn’t even cut it. It’s the fact that he could even think this and feel comfortabl­e expressing it, about human life. How low do we have to go in our gutter politics in this country?”

Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott said: “How on Earth did it even go through his brain to say it was ‘common sense’ that people trapped in that burning building would leave?

“People were terrified. Many died trying to escape. But the ‘stay put’ advice also didn’t come from nowhere. It has

been Government policy for decades, despite Tory promises to review it.”

FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said the suggestion to ignore firefighte­rs’ advice was “callously irresponsi­ble for a senior government figure”.

London Fire Brigade commission­er Dany Cotton yesterday told the London Assembly the service would now respond differentl­y to a tower block fire involving flammable cladding like at Grenfell. Rees-Mogg apologised, claiming he meant he would have fled “with hindsight after reading the report”. But Tory MP Andrew Bridgen was blasted for backing him. After being told people were offended that Rees-Mogg was suggesting he was “cleverer” than the Grenfell residents, Mr Bridgen said on BBC Radio 4: “But we want very clever people running the country, don’t we? That’s what Jacob is.” Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns also faced calls to quit yesterday after claims a leaked email showed he knew a judge had accused candidate Ross England of “single-handedly” sabotaging a rape trial. Welsh Conservati­ves said the email had “no new informatio­n” and the party had no record of the judge’s comments.

 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ?? BIG STAR Musician Stormzy INFERNO 2017 blaze at Grenfell
BIG STAR Musician Stormzy INFERNO 2017 blaze at Grenfell
 ??  ?? NASTY PARTY Rees-Mogg, who has now said sorry
NASTY PARTY Rees-Mogg, who has now said sorry
 ??  ?? CRITIC FBU’s Wrack
CRITIC FBU’s Wrack

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