Grenfell Was Tragic ‘But Everyone Dies In The End’, Says Reform’s New Housing Chief

Reform UK’s new housing chief Simon Dudley is catching some flak after saying that post-Grenfell safety regulations have “gone too far” and remarking that “everyone dies in the end”.

In an interview with Inside Housing and The i Paper, Dudley argued that the “regulatory pendulum” swung too far following the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, which killed 72 people. He claimed these regulations are now stifling the housebuilding sector.

Dudley said: “Everyone dies in the end. It’s just how you go, right? You can’t stop tragic things from happening. Fires do happen.”

Yikes.

He added that deaths in house fires are rare compared to road accidents, yet “we’re not making cars illegal, so why are we stopping houses being built?”.

Naturally, his comments have drawn condemnation from political rivals and victims’ advocates. 72 people died in Grenfell Tower because safety regulations were ignored, corners were cut, and warnings were dismissed by people in positions of authority who decided the cost of doing things properly was too inconvenient.

And now a housing chief from a party seeking to govern the UK is saying that fire safety regulations have gone too far because “fires do happen.”

Probably not the best way to win votes and influence people.

If Reform had any sense whatsoever, they’d sack this guy. Instead, a Reform spokesperson said:

“Simon’s comments on Grenfell reflected his broader point that the regulatory pendulum has swung too far in response to the tragedy. As he explained, there is a fine balance between over-regulation – which can slow the delivery of new homes – and ensuring that more homes are built safely without too much red tape.”

Might be a good idea to get someone else in who can make that point without completely crapping the bed. In the meantime, Reform continues to remind us all that it’s a party made up of cruel and ignorant politicians who pretend to give a sh1t about the common man but clearly do not.

UPDATE: Nigel Farage has sacked him. Good stuff.

They’ve got Bonnie Blue’s vote, though – so that’s something they’ve got going for them.