May: I’ve let down the Grenfell families
BRITISH Prime Minister Theresa May was fighting for her political life last night as she apologised to the families of those who lost loved ones in the devastating London blaze and admitted that the support for them ‘was not good enough’.
Sources from Downing Street last night admitted this was her ‘mea culpa’. However, her critics described it as a ‘belated act of contrition’ which was ‘not good enough’.
The apology came as Mrs May met survivors of Grenfell Tower in Downing Street – her third attempt in as many days to assuage public anger over the tragedy, which has so far claimed at least 58 lives.
While she was meeting the victims, hundreds of protesters gathered in Whitehall, chanting for her to resign.
The statement of regret did little to stem growing unrest on the Tory backbenches over Mrs May’s authority, following her disastrous decision to call a snap general election that led to the loss of her majority in the House of Commons.
Mrs May response to the tragedy involved visiting the scene of the fire on Thursday but not speaking to the residents. On Friday, she met survivors but had to flee protestors. That night, she gave a disastrous interview to BBC’s Newsnight programme, in which she was accused of appearing ‘inhuman’ by repeatedly avoiding questions about whether she had misread the public mood.
In yesterday’s statement, Mrs May said she had heard the concerns of those affected by the fire and agreed they had been let down.
She commended the emergency services but said: ‘The support on the ground for families… was not good enough.’
A spokesman for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he welcomed the fact that ‘the prime minister is finally facing up to her responsibilities after the terrible fire.’
He added: The Government needs to listen to the voices of residents and give them the support that they deserve.’