Politics
Tell the truth
The ramifications of London’s Grenfell Tower fire are set to be deep – we hope – and change forever how we build and maintain homes for ordinary Londoners and residents in high rises the world over. But the fast-moving story around the fire is now meeting another storm front of Westminster politics, a failed and flailing PM and a government that looks chaotic and distracted by Brexit talks and a bout of looming infighting. Something feels very wrong with brand UK – a fact that was even reflected on by the monarch this weekend when, acutely aware of the unease, she released a letter on Saturday commenting on the nation’s “sombre mood”. One of the biggest changes we need is to break a British culture of covering our backs, dodging criticism, claiming that it’s not our problem. Because of this culture the victims’ families have been denied even the most basic truth: how many people are really missing, who is dead, and what are the names of those in hospital. Nobody wants to take responsibility. This is a summer that must change Britain. The country is being watched.