‘It could happen again at any moment’: Grenfell survivors join residents trapped in dangerous flats to demand urgent action
As thousands continue to reside in unsafe homes with unfit cladding, the government has been told to act immediately "or be responsible for another Grenfell."
Survivors and bereaved family members from the Grenfell Tower fire have joined forces with residents trapped in dangerous flats as part of a major campaign to remove cladding and transform housing legislation.
Campaigners are claiming that 700,000 people are still living in dangerous conditions six months after the government announced a repair fund – with millions of others residing in unsellable homes.
The ‘End Our Cladding Scandal’ campaign has relaunched this week – setting out 10 Asks to resolve the crisis which has left about 200,000 high-rise homes wrapped in deadly materials.
Grenfell Tower was consumed by flames in summer 2017 and claimed the lives of 72 people.
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The fire spread rapidly due to materials used in construction, and reviews have revealed that as around 20,000 high-rise flats still have the same unfit cladding today.
Grenfell United, a group of bereaved families and survivors, have warned a similar incident in another building could “happen at any moment.”
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“It’s been three years since the fire that took the lives of our loved ones and neighbours,” said GU representatives.
“With this dangerous cladding still on buildings all it will take is a simple kitchen fire to cause another Grenfell.”
They added: “Only the Government has the capacity to sort this mess out. They haven’t done enough and every month they stall they are willingly leaving thousands of people in danger. Rishi Sunak and Robert Jenrick need to step up and make this right.”
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Backed by former Grenfell residents, groups are demanding an urgent national effort to remove all dangerous cladding from buildings by June 2022 and for funding to be provided up front to all blocks.
The 10 Asks are from the groups are as follows:
The Government must lead an urgent national effort to remove all dangerous cladding from buildings by June 2022, actively prioritising the buildings most at risk
The Building Safety Fund must cover all buildings, regardless of height, and a range of internal and external fire safety defects not just cladding
The Government should provide the money up front, and then seek to recover it from any responsible parties or via a temporary levy on development
Social housing providers must have full and equal access to the fund
The Government must compel building owners or managers to be honest with residents about fire safety defects
The Government should cover the cost of interim safety measures
The Government should act as an insurer of last resort and underwrite insurance where premiums have soared
A fairer, faster process is needed to replace EWS and funding is necessary to ensure all buildings requiring a form are surveyed within 12 months
Mental health support must be offered to affected residents
Protecting residents from historic and future costs must be a key commitment of new building safety legislation
The campaign states that the £1bn Government Fund will cover fewer than 600 of the 2,957 developments requiring restoration, leaving 2,357 with no recourse to remediation.
Without government funding, costs have fallen on leaseholders – and some residents are being charged more than £100,000 to finance the repairs themselves.
Leaseholders are also required to fund waking watches (24-hour fire patrols) at costs of up to £800 per month until their blocks are deemed safe.
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Michael Mansfield QC, representing a collective of lawyers working for Grenfell Tower families, said: “There are many more Grenfell fires waiting to happen. Thousands of citizens are at risk.
“After three years it is a disgrace that this risk has not been eradicated by the removal of all combustible cladding. With the advent of more lockdown, the message is clear and urgent CLADOFF!”
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester has expressed his support for the plan and local Cladiator group, along with Paul Dennett, Salford City Mayor and Chair of the Greater Manchester High Rise Task Force.
The Manchester Cladiators have said that residents are “suffering”, claiming the government has continued to pursue a “flawed approach” which is putting lives at risk.
Ritu Saha, a founding member of the UK Cladding Action Group, said the government “must act now or be responsible for another Grenfell.”
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“Grenfell has exposed terrible failings of the building safety regulatory regime in this country,” said Saha.
“Thousands of buildings are now deemed unsafe, with horrific mental and financial consequences for innocent leaseholders.
“Any decent government must put the safety of residents first.”
News
Pep Guardiola signs new contract to stay at Manchester City until 2027
Danny Jones
Blues will be delighted to hear that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is staying after agreeing to sign a contract extension that will keep him at the club until at least 2027.
The Catalan coach and supremely talented tactician has won all there is to win with Man City and after completing not only a record-matching treble but making history by becoming the first English team to win four Premier League titles in a row, you could argue his Etihad project is well and truly completed.
Guardiola, who joined City back in 2016, has gradually been creeping towards the end of his most recent contract, leaving those slowly searching for his replacement and the fan base wondering what the future holds for their next chapter.
But it turns out they don’t have to worry about life after Pep for a little while longer, as the 53-year-old has now extended his stay for another two seasons. The blue moon that has loomed over Manchester for the best part of a decade isn’t going anywhere just yet.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager, who is comfortably one of the most decorated and celebrated coaches in football history, was due to leave the club at the end of the current campaign.
However, although his contract would have seen him depart by June of next summer, this new deal will now see him stay in post until the end of the 2026/27 campaign, which will see him surpass the 10-year mark and then some.
It’s the news all Blues have been waiting for and an announcement that will no doubt come as a huge relief given the immense success he has brought to East Manchester.
Despite waiting until now to seemingly decide his future, the man himself has actually been pretty clear on the matter, insisting that he “fell in love” with the club from the moment he got here and saying as far back as 2020 that “unless they [CFG] sack me, I will stay here.”
Speaking in an official statement, Guardiola said: “Manchester City means so much to me. This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club. That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.”
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and of course the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.”
Man City fans will honour Pep with a banner which reads in Catalan, 'we want you to stay'…
"They'll have to bring me the bill. I will pay the bank. I don't want them to spend money for that reason. I feel in love since the first day I came here." 🥺
Better still, while the details of the agreement are yet to be fully detailed, it is thought that the new contract still includes an option to extend for an extra year, meaning we could be looking at Pep in Premier League dugouts even longer.
Should City go on to close the gap on current league leaders Liverpool, it would mean Guardiola would have overseen five title wins with the same team in a row: a feat only matched by very few in European football, most notably Juventus and Bayern Munich, the latter having managed 13 consecutive years.
Who knows if/when Guardiola will actually leave the Etihad Stadium for a new challenge, all we know is he changed modern football forever and has given Manchester – a city already spoilt in this respect – some of the most impressive football it’s ever seen.
All we do know is that the beautiful game’s passionate, bald, tiki-taka extraordinaire known simply as Pep is staying in 0161 for the time being and there are countless fans who are absolutely buzzing about it.
Tributes pour in for chairman of Manchester City’s ‘Cheadle Blues’ supporters club, Tommy Muir
Danny Jones
Tributes are pouring in following the death of Tommy Muir, the long-standing chairman of Manchester City’s ‘Cheadle Blues’ supporters club, at the age of 71.
News of Muir’s death broke on Thursday, 21 November, with countless Man City fans learning of his tragic passing online and proceeding to pay their respects.
The Cheadle Branch boss, lifelong supporter and well-known club figure is said to have died following a period of illness, with a member of the popular Bluemoon Forum claiming he suffered from the progressive disease pulmonary fibrosis for some time.
Numerous messages of sadness, love and support have been shared on social media already.
Sad to hear the news that Tommy Muir has died. A wonderful person who first helped me with my research decades ago. A dedicated MCFC fan. My thoughts are with his family and friends. https://t.co/8rLcL10N2Ipic.twitter.com/dkEmCSU1vl
Just heard a top blue Tommy Muir has passed away. Met Tommy years ago, he helped me out with tickets down the years, we shared a few laughs and pints. He gave me this plaque after he rescued it from Maine Road and is something I'll always treasure. RIP Tommy #trueblue 💙⚽ pic.twitter.com/jfbFLfZCKS
By all accounts, Muir will be remembered as a much-loved leader of City’s Cheadle Branch, as well as a generous character with a great sense of humour.
There are countless messages from people who know him from the local area or through helping sort spare tickets for matchdays and as the familiar face around Maine Road back in the day and on the bus to the Etihad Stadium for many years.
Tommy was also one of the official supporters group members who were treated to a visit by Man City themselves, naming him honorary Life Vice President of the Official Supporters Club and bringing the Treble trophies to his doorstep back in July 2023.
Muir, an ex-Royal Mail worker, also served as the landlord of The Kenilworth pub back in Cheadle, Stockport, where fans would regularly meet pre-match before heading to watch the game.
Local author and historian of Manchester sport, Gary James, wrote on Facebook: “I’ve just seen this news… Sad to hear the news that Tommy Muir has died. A wonderful person who first helped me with my research decades ago. A dedicated MCFC fan. My thoughts are with his family and friends.”
Speaking to The Manc, General Secretary of City’s Official Supporters Club, Kevin Parker told us: Tommy was a blue through and through and 100% committed to The Supporters Club at Cheadle and its members.
“I have known Tommy for over 30 years and no one deserved the recent success the club has had more than him. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him and fondly remembered. He will still be watching our wonderful club from the Blue Stands in the Sky telling anyone who disrespects his Club to ‘do one'”
Known to so many throughout the fan base, even supporters who never met him personally have been sharing their condolences on various platforms. Those who knew him well have nothing but heartwarming memories to share.
Fan forums like Bluemoon have been awash with people mourning Muir’s passing. One person told the story of meeting him at the age of 17 and following him when moved to The George and Dragon pub – another popular City haunt before games.
Another wrote: “I got to know Tommy when I joined the Cheadle Supporters branch. Tommy loved being branch secretary. He was absolutely dedicated to his position as branch secretary […] The branch meetings were serious affairs, getting through what had to be discussed, but in between was humour and laughter brought about by Tommy.
“Tommy had a huge sense of humour, and his one-liners were famous amongst the branch members, which would have everyone laughing throughout the meetings. The coach trips to the away games were never dull. They were always full of cheer, drinking, laughter, and City songs.”
“Keep on watching your beloved City from above. Rest in peace, Tommy.”
Losses like this within a fan base are always tough to take. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends, the Cheadle Branch and all the Blues whose lives he touched. RIP Tommy Muir.