Grenfell Report - Why is no one in prison?

Yesterday, the Grenfell report was finally released, seven years after the fire. For me, the only surprise was that it was far, far worse than I could have imagined. It was crystal clear from day one that it was a clear case of corporate manslaughter. As soon as it became clear that the building was clad in material that accelerated the fire, the police should have started a criminal case for corporate manslaughter. The companies involved have had seven years to cover their tracks. People have left the firms, people have died, emails have been lost. Seventy two people died. The report said that all of them died needlessly. Firms have continued making profits. Directors have continued to be paid bonuses. Of course, a report was needed to ascertain what happened, but the police should have been breaking doors down, seizing mail servers, interviewing people under caution and charging people. I listen to BBC Radio London most days, but I couldn't yesterday. It was too sickening. I started reading the reports in this mornings papers and had to stop. It is so much worse than I could imagine. I thought that it was carelessness that caused the problems, on a massive scale. It didn't occur to me that cladding companies could cheat the tests. I genuinely thought they'd simply not done them thoroughly enough. 

The only way that we can stop such tragedies happening is to lock up the directors of companies that are criminally negligent. If there is a crime that kills 72 people, the police investigation should start on day one. Only when directors end up in the slammer for long periods, will we see companies take safety seriouly. Three years ago, I wrote this poem for the people of Grenfell

I am almost exhausted of things to say about Grenfell, the Cladding Scandal, the Fire Safety Scandal etc. The tragedy was avoidable, it should never have happened. People should not be still living in Roman Candle style buildings clad in flammable material. 

All I can do as an artist, is use words. Here is a poem I wrote. I just wish I could do more.

,  

The Roman Candle (#Endourfiresafetyscandal)

On the 14^th of June we heard the news       

that Grenfell had gone up in smoke         

72 died, hundreds were homeless and       

The system of justice is broke                       

Living in a Roman Candle

Time to end the Cladding Scandal

Living in a Roman Candle

It proves that the system is broke

Time to end the cladding scandal

We don’t want a Roman candle

Time to end the cladding Scandal

People need safe homes

-- 

Three years on from that blog, seven years from the atrocity, there has been no justice. I feel phsyically sick when I think of this issue. That's all.