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WATCH: Grenfell Tower survivor launches furious tirade at housing minister

Agnes Chambre

2 min read

A survivor of the Grenfell Tower fire launched an angry tirade at a housing minister today over whether those who lost their homes will be given quality permanent accommodation. 


Oluwaseun Talabi, who escaped the 14th floor during fire two weeks ago, hit out at Alok Sharma, saying he did not want to be repeatedly moved around.

“I am not moving my child. If you don’t give me that, I am not going to accept it. I am not just going to take any house near me, it has to be suitable,” he said on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire show.

“I was happy in my house, I work hard, I work hard. I had a good house. Don’t give me any rubbish, I won’t accept it.”

Asked whether Mr Talabi and other survivors would be given quality, permanent accommodation, Mr Sharma said: “Yes, of course we are going to make sure everyone is in good quality accommodation.”

He later added: "Anyone whose home has been destroyed will be housed by next week in good accommodation, which is acceptable to them."

Police have so far confirmed 79 victims are either dead or presumed dead after flames ripped through the west London high rise two weeks ago.

The Grenfell Tower Response unit said they have given 99 households £5,000 each, while 145 hotel rooms for former residents have been made available.

But controversy broke out last week when reports emerged that a number of survivors were evicted from a Holiday Inn because of pre-existing bookings.

The council is also in the process of acquiring luxury flats as social housing for some of the survivors.  

Yesterday Theresa May said there needed to be a "major national investigation" after cladding on more blocks around the country failed fire safety tests.

Today she confirmed all 120 towers from 37 local authorities had failed the tests - a 100% rate of failure.

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