Corbyn: Seize rich homes to house survivors
Grenfell Tower residents should be housed locally in vacant luxury buildings, says the Labour leader
JEREMY CORBYN has called for the empty homes of wealthy people in Kensington to be seized for Grenfell Tower residents who have lost their homes to the fire.
The Labour leader said that the London borough was a “tale of two cities”, divided between a wealthy south and a poor north.
He suggested that “requisitioning” expensive vacant properties could help ensure that residents are housed locally.
The Government has committed to rehousing all those who lost their homes in the fire in the local area. However, Mr Corbyn said: “Kensington is a tale of two cities. The south part of Kensington is incredibly wealthy, it’s the wealthiest part of the whole country.
“The ward where this fire took place is, I think, the poorest ward in the whole country and properties must be found – requisitioned if necessary – to make sure those residents do get rehoused locally.
“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. We have to address these issues.”
It came as Theresa May faced questions over why she did not meet with residents, in contrast with Mr Corbyn.
Asked why she had not met survivors and those who lost loved ones, Mrs May replied: “Well, I visited the scene of this terrible fire this morning.
“I wanted a briefing from the emergency services. They’ve been working tirelessly in horrific conditions and I have been overwhelmed by their professionalism and their bravery.
“I heard stories of firefighters running into the building being protected from the falling debris by police officers using their riot shields. And we thank all our emergency services for the incredible work that they have done.”
Sadiq Khan, the Labour Mayor of London, faced an angry crowd as he visited the scene of the fire.
He was confronted by a young boy who asked “how many children have died?” as he talked to an angry crowd at Grenfell Tower. The boy added: “What are you going to do about it?”
The Mayor replied: “People are justifiably angry and I share their anger and I share their demand for answers.”
He was also heckled by a supporter of Mr Corbyn about his failure to back the Labour leader and there were suggestions that a bottle was thrown at him. More than 20 police officers rushed in to calm the crowd.
Nick Hurd, the fire minister, said that the blaze was a “national tragedy” and no moment for “cool plodding democracy” as he vowed to leave “no stone unturned”. He indicated that a promised review of building regulations would not be published until after the inquiry.
Asked why the review, promised after the inquest into the Lakanal House fire in 2009, had not been published, he said: “Our commitment is to a full public inquiry where everything needs to be looked at in the round.
“This is a very complicated situation, it is an absolutely unprecedented fire in the observation of those who fought it. We need to understand what happened on that dreadful night and as the Prime Minister has said, get a really proper, factually based, evidencebased understanding of what happened on that night, and what happened in the run-in to that night.”
The Government last night activated the “Bellwin scheme” to provide emergency relief to residents in the wake of the fire.
Under the scheme, which is often used during floods, financial assistance is available to councils to help cover immediate costs following a fire.
Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, said: “We are all deeply saddened by this terrible tragedy and are determined that all necessary support will be there for victims and their families.
“That is why we have made emergency funding available so the local council can provide much-needed services to everybody affected.”
It came as a new poll found that Mrs May’s popularity ratings are now lower than Mr Corbyn’s were before the General Election.
A survey by Yougov found that the Prime Minister’s “favourability score” has fallen from plus 10 to minus 34. In the meantime, Mr Corbyn’s popularity rating has climbed by 42 points.
Meanwhile, John Mcdonnell, the shadow chancellor, urged unions to mobilise more than a million people to protest in London on July 1 in a bid to pressure Mrs May into standing down.