Star date: 17th June 2017

ANGER MOUNTING OVER THERESA MAY AND TOWER BLOCK SAFETY IN GREATER MANCHESTER

"The Tories wanted a bonfire of regulations – they got their fucking bonfire, they burned the people..." Hilda Palmer, GM Hazards Centre

Hundreds of people took to the streets in Manchester city centre this afternoon for a march and sit down protest demanding 'Justice For Grenfell' and 'Theresa May Must Go!'

At a rally earlier in St Peter's Square, Salford's Hilda Palmer, of the GM Hazards Centre, demanded "an end to deregulation of health and safety...an end to the neo-liberal austerity that's killing us with inequality and poverty, an end to the war on the working class...an end to the Tories..."

Full details here...

"There are people up and down this country...who are wondering whether it's going to be them next time if something isn't done seriously, significantly and urgently..."

After street protests in London yesterday, this afternoon hundreds of people took to the streets of Manchester city centre demanding, not only 'Justice for Grenfell' and an end to Theresa May's 'Coalition of Chaos' but also a proper investigation into the safety of Greater Manchester's tower blocks.

At a rally in St Peter's Square, Evan Pritchard, chair of Manchester Unite Community and a tenant in a tower block in East Manchester, paid tribute to the emergency services, and also the London communities that have united to help each other through the trauma, before turning his attention to tower block anxiety nearer home...

"Ours was done up quite recently" he said "and it looks absolutely beautiful compared to what it used to look like, as I'm sure Grenfell Tower did, after they turned it into a death trap...

"There are people up and down this country who have had work of that type done who are wondering whether it's going to be them next time if something isn't done seriously, significantly and urgently about it" he added

"Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, has rightly called for an urgent review of health and safety in tower blocks but we need to make sure it's done properly, that it's a full and proper review" he explained "As chair of my tenants association I'm calling a meeting with my landlord, Eastlands, the fire service and local council in order to have a proper report back to the tenants about how safe our block is...We need reassurance...

"The call from the working man has always been for a decent, affordable home, now we have to add to that, not just decent affordable homes, but homes that you can guarantee that you are actually not going to get burnt alive in the night and die the most horrible death. This is horror that I find unthinkable and we have to point the finger at those responsible..."

Amongst the speakers was also a very angry Hilda Palmer, from Salford and the GM Hazards Centre who said that her organisation had, like the residents of Grenfell Tower, been campaigning for many years on health and safety issues and similarly not been listened to...

"I'm here today to remember the dead and to fight like hell for the living; and to demand an end to deregulation of health and safety at home, work and in the environment in our communities; an end to neo-liberal austerity that's killing us with inequality and poverty, an end to the war on the working class...an end to the Tories" she said to loud cheers.

"The Tories wanted a bonfire of regulations – they got their fucking bonfire; they burned the people, our brothers and sisters in that terrible inferno which will stand as a statement showing what they have done" she added "They are responsible for this. This is a corporate crime by the council, the companies involved, by the management organisation...

"We want a full and thorough investigation, and we want evidence to be looked for to bring charges of corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter and health and safety offences" she explained "And we want people to be punished and go to jail. But we also want this to be a seminal moment when enough really is enough...

"Deregulation, privatisation, austerity...these things all came together in Grenfell Tower and we can't ignore it" she insisted "And this has to be the moment when there is an end to all their shit."

After a minute's silence to remember those who died in the blaze, a spontaneous march around Manchester city centre took place with people chanting 'Justice For Grenfell', 'No Justice No Peace', calling for an inquest not an inquiry, and an end to Theresa May's 'Coalition of Chaos' with the DUP, while singing Jeremy Corbyn's name.

At one point there was a sit down protest on Cross Street, where more speeches were made and applauded by shoppers.

Today, the BBC claimed Theresa May had a list of tower blocks around the country that are deemed safe and unsafe. The Salford Star contacted the Prime Minister's press office asking for a list of such structures in Salford and Greater Manchester. The Prime Minister is yet to respond...

*See also related Salford Star articles...

Cladding used in Pendleton Tower Blocks 'Contributes To Fire Growth' state experts – click here

Recent Pendleton High Rise Fire Highlights Inadequacies – click here

Salford Tower Block Fire Risks Ignored By Salix Homes For Five Years – click here

Pendleton Together Promises Independent Review of Tower Block Safety – click here