A firefighters’ union representative who was one of the first on the scene of the Grenfell Tower disaster has challenged Conservative Kensington MP Felicity Buchan over a visit to the local fire station.
Buchan has been widely criticised for voting against implementing recommendations of the Grenfell inquiry despite representing the community affected by the tragedy. The station in question, North Kensington, is in the immediate locality of Grenfell and crews from the station were the first to attend the fire.
FBU representative, Dave Badillo, heard about the MP’s visit after finishing work this morning, and tweeted at her to say that “your vote on amendments to fire safety bill is a betrayal of our community. #GrenfellUnited #EndOurCladdingScandal”. He also said “your continued stance puts the lives of residents and firefighters at further risk”.
The inquiry recommendations in question included urgent inspections of fire doors, and development of national guidelines for partial or total evacuations of high-rise towers.
The general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union Matt Wrack said:
“Felicity Buchan is the MP for the Grenfell community, yet she has voted against implementing recommendations from the inquiry that would make homes across the UK safe. It is shameful.
“Instead of hunting for photo opportunities with firefighters who selflessly put themselves at risk on the night of the fire, she should focus on holding the government to account over their failure to get to grips with our building safety crisis.”
