Housing Minister Rushanara Ali Steps Down from Building Safety Role Amid Grenfell Survivors’ Complaints

Housing Minister Rushanara Ali is stripped of her role following grievances from Grenfell survivors

Rushanara Ali participated in a conference backed by a company implicated in the Grenfell Tower fire investigation.

Sunday, October 20, 2024, at 9

The responsibilities for building safety have been removed from a housing minister following grievances from Grenfell survivors regarding her participation in a conference backed by a company implicated in the inquiry into the catastrophic fire.

Rushanara Ali acknowledged the importance of "perceptions" and emphasized that solid trust between the government and the Grenfell community is "crucial".

According to The Sunday Times, Grenfell United, an organization representing survivors and the families of victims, reportedly called for her resignation.

The article mentioned that she frequently participated in the Franco-British Colloque, a yearly discussion platform, which from 2012 to 2024 was co-led by Pierre-Andre de Chalendar, the ex-chairman of Saint-Gobain.

Until not long ago, the French manufacturing company held the majority stake in Celotex, the producer of most of the combustible insulation placed behind the cladding of the structure.

The Grenfell Inquiry report accused Celotex of unscrupulously and deceitfully marketing materials that were known to be flammable as "fire safe," according to their findings.

The blaze that erupted on June 14, 2017, in a 24-story residential building in Kensington, West London, claimed the lives of 72 individuals.

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Learn more: Key conclusions from the Grenfell Inquiry

Exploring the events of the Grenfell Tower fire

Ms. Ali stated, "It is crucial for this department to have reliable relationships between ministers and the Grenfell community."

"Prior to my tenure as a minister, I urged the French representatives at the Franco-British Colloque to sever connections with Saint Gobain.

"However, I recognize the importance of public perception, and I have thus decided that it would be more appropriate for the building safety responsibilities to be assigned to a different minister."

"Ensuring the safety of buildings and averting further disasters remain top priorities for me. I fully endorse the deputy prime minister and our ministerial team as they lead efforts to address these critical concerns."

She will continue to serve as a minister in the housing department, maintaining her duties related to homelessness and rough sleeping.

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