Grenfell Tower: MPs defend decision against bill amendment

Councillor Jayne McCoy, accused the Tory MPs after they rejected a Labour proposal which would have implemented all of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry's recommendations.

It follows the first anniversary of the Worcester Park fire which destroyed the homes of 23 families on September 9, 2019.

Sutton Lib Dem councillor Jayne McCoy, says that by voting against the recommendations, the MPs are failing to show residents their fire safety is prioritised.

She went onto further say, Elliot Colburn failed to turn up to parliament to vote on the recommendations last Monday (September 7).

However, it has been confirmed and is on record that he did turn up to vote.

MPs Elliot Colburn and Paul Scully said the measures would be put into law after further consultation.

They said: "The amendment risked undermining the work to implement these recommendations" which would further delay the process.

The measures would have required:

-Flat owners or building managers to share information with their local fire service

-Carry out regular inspections

-Share evacuation and fire safety instructions with residents.

Councillor McCoy said: “Phase One of the Grenfell inquiry brought forward many crucial recommendations that must be implemented sooner rather than later.

"I’m frankly shocked that both of Sutton’s Tory MPs failed to support this. Paul Scully voting against and Elliot Colburn failing to turn up is inexcusable.

It is an insult not only to the Grenfell victims and wider community, but a failure to protect residents still living in buildings with inadequate fire safety protection.

"Both Tory MPs bring shame to our borough with their failure to prioritise fire safety even after a tragedy like Grenfell.”

Elliot Colburn said: “Once again the Lib Dems are demonstrating their heartlessness and incompetence, politicising a tragedy and claiming I was not at a vote, which is a matter of public record that I did, in fact, attend and took part in.

This latest misrepresentation is just an attempt to distract attention from their disastrous handling of SEN children as exposed on BBC Panorama, and of road closures causing mayhem across Sutton.

"While the Lib Dems continue to peddle misrepresentations, the Government is getting on with implementing the recommendations of the Grenfell Inquiry.”

Paul Scully said: “It is shameful that the Lib Dems are politicising the tragedy at Grenfell and in Worcester Park.

"The Fire Safety Bill and the upcoming Building Safety Bill does indeed allow us to implement the recommendations of the first phase of the Grenfell Inquiry.

The amendment would have cut across the current consultation, which would have delayed implementation.

" It would in no way have sped up the process as it requires further regulations which can only come into effect once the Bill becomes law. This is already the action the Government is taking.”

The fire safety consultation closes on October 12 here