Grenfell Tower disaster: Diane Abbott demands takeover of Kensington and Chelsea Council
Written by News on 24/09/2017
Diane Abbott has called for commissioners to be sent in to take over and run Kensington council, blasting the Tories "shameful" response to the Grenfell fire.
The shadow home secretary used a fiery speech at Labour’s autumn conference in Brighton to blame deregulation and privatisation for the devastating blaze that left around 80 people confirmed dead.
"The Tory-controlled Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea treated the residents of Grenfell like second-class citizens," Ms Abbott declared.
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"And when the disaster struck, the Royal Borough’s response was shameful. Even now, out of the all the families made homeless only a handful have been offered permanent homes.
"And this in a borough with over two thousand empty properties.
"Am I the only person wondering why Commissioners have not been sent into the failing Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea?"
Her comments come after concerns over the proportion of Grenfell residents displaced by the fire who have been placed in new permanent accommodation three months on.
Ms Abbott also paid tribute to her colleague, Emma Dent Coad, the MP for Kensington who was elected days before Grenfell.
"She has offered love and leadership to her community in full measure and conference should applaud her," Ms Abbott said.
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The Hackney MP concluded her speech with an emotional tribute, saying: "My mother came to this country in the 1950s as a pupil nurse.
"She could never have believed that her daughter would stand before you as shadow home secretary.
"What makes the Labour Party special is that we will always be the party which works to help people fulfil their aspiration and dreams for themselves and their children.
"It is that message of hope that will help us win the next general election and put Jeremy Corbyn into Number 10."
The Conservatives did not reply to a request for comment by the time this story went live."
(c) Sky News 2017: Grenfell Tower disaster: Diane Abbott demands takeover of Kensington and Chelsea Council
