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Labour Minister Resigns from Building Safety Role Amid Controversy

A Labour minister in the housing department has stepped down from overseeing building safety and the government’s response to the Grenfell Tower incident. This decision follows mounting pressure from survivors of the devastating fire, who expressed concerns over Rushanara Ali’s participation in significant political events.

Reports from the Sunday Times revealed that survivors were unsettled by Ali’s attendance at the Franco-British Colloque, an event that assembles high-ranking politicians, civil servants, and business leaders to discuss pressing issues. Pierre-André de Chalendar, who was recently the co-chair of this conference, has been linked to criticisms stemming from the Grenfell inquiry due to his previous leadership role at Saint-Gobain—one of the companies implicated in the inquiry.

Despite her decision to relinquish the building safety responsibilities, Ali remains in her position as a minister. She stated, “perception matters” in justifying her choice to step back from the sensitive role.

The last gathering of the Colloque occurred in January, prior to the last general election. De Chalendar has since stepped down from his co-chair role. Notably, during his tenure as the chairman of Saint-Gobain, Celotex—a company under its ownership at the time—came under intense scrutiny due to its production of the combustible insulation that played a critical role in the Grenfell disaster.

The Phase 2 report of the Grenfell Inquiry condemned Celotex for engaging in misleading practices regarding the safety of its insulation in high-rise buildings.

Ali, who has represented Bethnal Green and Stepney since 2010, was also noted in the MPs’ register for attending this year’s Colloque held in Paris. She was re-elected to her seat in July 2023.

In her formal statement, the Minister for Homelessness and Rough Sleeping emphasized the importance of maintaining trust with the Grenfell community, stating, “Before I became a minister, I called for the French delegation of the Franco-British Colloque to cut ties with Saint-Gobain. But I understand that perception matters and I have therefore concluded that the building safety portfolio would be best transferred to another minister.”

Ali reaffirmed her commitment to the ongoing efforts to enhance building safety and avert further tragedies, expressing her full support for the deputy prime minister and the ministerial team in those objectives.

Source
www.bbc.com