This week’s appalling fire at Grenfell Tower in Kensington could not fail to move even the hardest of hearts. The rising toll of death, injury and destitution leaves an open wound at the heart of London that will take a long time to heal.
The task of trying to piece together how and why this fire started, whether and how it could have been prevented, and where responsibility lies, is only just beginning. While a rush to judgment should be avoided until we know all the facts, searching questions should certainly be asked and lessons learnt should be swiftly acted upon. It is right that the Theresa May, the prime minister, has called a public inquiry, and it is vital to ensure that the political class fulfils its obligations towards the poorest in society.
I grew up in the area around Grenfell Tower, so for me this week has been particularly devastating. As a young man I had many friends who lived in the tower, and later on I ran a youth charity filled with kids from there and the surrounding area. Nobody ever pretended that Grenfell Tower was the perfect place to live, but it offered hope to many people that they could one day own their own place. Now, sadly, for many residents these hopes will have been dashed. Not only that, but the sudden loss of these 120 homes will be significant in an area of already low housing stock, and this will directly affect the life chances of local people. These homes will need replacing as soon as possible.