How the Left exploited the Grenfell tragedy

AS Scotland Yard announces the full death toll from Grenfell Tower, our thoughts must be with the victims, the survivors and their families who are still struggling to rebuild their lives.

So it is not in any way an attempt to diminish the scale of the horror – but simply a statement of fact – to say that at 71 the total is far below some of the estimates put about in the immediate aftermath.

Indeed, as part of its shameful attempt to use the tragedy for political gain, Labour and its allies promoted a conspiracy theory: that the police, mainstream media and ministers were deliberately suppressing the true death toll to downplay the disaster.

Left-wing agitators demanded proof there had not been a cover-up. Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott said the number would hit three figures. Pop singer Lily Allen claimed 150, and viciously attacked the media. Tottenham MP David Lammy suggested the total was kept under wraps to try to stop riots.

While responsible newspapers reported the facts, on social media the conspiracy gained traction. A fake news site popular with Corbynistas even peddled the idea that an official secrecy order was in place.

Thus the myth was created that the Tory government had not just caused the fire with spending cuts but then sought to cover it up. It was a hate-fuelled and ghastly lie.

And imagine how distressing this must have been for the selfless forensic officers, doing the grim job of picking through the building’s charred ruins to help ensure an

accurate assessment of the tragedy. As for those who spread this fake news, they were cynically motivated by a compulsion to exploit this catastrophe for political ends. They should hang their heads in shame.