In a TV interview, former Prime Minister Tony Blair has said that tragedies like Grenfell cannot be completely avoided, and that people are "going to make mistakes" even in "well-intentioned systems".
Responding to Tony Blair's comments, Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said:
"Tony Blair’s despicable comments are the remarks of a multi-millionaire who has lost touch with the reality of people’s lives. Every single person has the right to a safe, decent home. Every single one of the deaths at Grenfell Tower were unnecessary and wholly avoidable.
"The Grenfell fire was not the result of well-intentioned people making mistakes, but of a systematic disregard for the safety of residents – and the prioritisation of private profit over human life. As Prime Minister, Tony Blair was an enthusiastic supporter of the same agenda of deregulation that led to the Grenfell disaster.
"At the heart of this agenda of deregulation is a disdain for working class people, and a view that sees their living standards, and even their lives, as expendable in pursuit of free market economics. It is no wonder that the public are losing faith in politicians when politicians like Tony Blair make it clear that they have no regard for ordinary people."
