Richmond Park News: 15 June 2021
FOUR YEARS SINCE GRENFELL
Four years ago, after the tragic loss of so many lives and homes, the Government promised that they would get to the bottom of how this avoidable devastation could happen in 21st century Britain. They promised to support the Grenfell families and give them everything they needed to rebuiild their lives as best they could. And they promised to hold accountable those who were responsible for causing this loss of life.
Four years later, we have Grenfell families still living in temporary housing. No arrests have been made in connection with the disaster. Thousands of high rise buildings, housing tens of thousands of people, are still cladded in dangerous materials. And hundreds of thousands of people are trapped in the cladding scandal, unable to afford the remediation work needed to bring their homes up to the new fire safety standards and unable to sell them as they are.
In their recent fire safety bill the Government fought off amendments I supported that would have saved leaseholders from financial ruin caused by historic poor regulation and shoddy building work. They have refused to allocate enough funds to make all of the high-rise buildings safe. They have failed to support those who live in buildings below 18m with dangerous cladding.
I am working with many constituents whose lives have been impacted by the cladding scandal. I will keep pushing for justice, both for victims of the fire and for leaseholders trapped in combustible buildings of all heights. The Government owes it to the Grenfell families to keep the promises they made.
ROADMAP OUT OF LOCKDOWN DELAYED
While it is right to slow down the road map on ending Covid-19 restrictions in light of the worrying increase in case rates, I am frustrated that this avoidable delay was necessary. We must be quicker to act to protect ourselves in future. Had the Prime Minister put India on the red list sooner we might be days instead of weeks away from the end of restrictions.
The Covid-19 vaccine is now available to everyone over the age of 23. If you are 23 or over and you have not yet had your first dose, you can book your appointment here.
There are also walk-in vaccine clinics happening locally this week:
AstraZeneca walk-in clinics will be held this week for those who are aged 40 or older and haven't had a first dose, or who had their first dose before mid-April:
The Stoop, Harlequins' Rugby Stadium in Twickenham:
9am to 7pm, Tuesday 15 to Sunday 20 June 2021
Hawks Road Health Clinic, Kingston upon Thames:
9am to 7pm, Tuesday 15 to Sunday 20 June 2021
Pfizer vaccination clinics will be held for those aged 23-40 years old at Essex House Surgery in Barnes. This is specifically for those who have NOT yet had their first dose. The surgery will be open as below, with no appointment needed:
Tuesday 15 June from 7pm – 9pm
Wednesday 16 June from 6.30pm – 8.3