Thursday, June 15, 2017

Kensington and Chelsea - the Class Divide

Maria Vigo has lived opposite Grenfell Tower for 11 years, and she's upset. "...the working class are feeling that they're being left without a voice. The council isn't listening to us." She explains a desire for profits is encroaching on the lives of working-class locals. "Properties are being built in this area that aren't being bought by people in the local community...There's a lot of separation between classes and people are telling me that it's down to social cleansing."


12 comments:

Harley Wears said...

The spontaneous solidarity of the working class community after the tragic fire proves what we have said all along people coming together sharing Food Clothing Shelter etc without leaders or the state. Any london members joining in with a relevant leaflet to hand out??

Matthew Culbert said...

I don't think we will regard this terrible event as a time for leaflets.

gray said...

Some SPGB'ers are utter prats. Leaflet over dead bodies? Are you bloody insane?

ajohnstone said...

I think i agree with Matt. We shouldn't be perceived as trying to make political capital at this emotional time out of other peoples misfortunes and tragedies.

There will be ample time in the future to comment...the public inquiry and the inquests. But already the blog's observations are being confirmed - cheaper construction materials substituted for the more expensive but safer options.

ajohnstone said...

i see from press photos that the SWP Socialist Worker have their iniquitous placards distributed. I'm not surprised by their opportunism and it re-confirms my attitude that we are not the same type of party that takes advantage of others suffering. It nay have happened under the Tory watch but Labour governments have their hands in blood too concerning the approval to use the shoddy cladding.

Matthew Culbert said...

Very much so.

Brian said...

There will be no inquest now that it's been announced a public inquiry will take place. An inquest is under the control of the coroner who can any witness to record the evidence. On the other hand, a public inquiry is under the direct control of the government who set the criteria on what witnesses will be called in relation to the incidence.

ajohnstone said...

Cheers for the info, Brian.
This article appeared explaining the implications
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/what-is-an-inquest-different-public-inquiry-grenfell-tower-victims-a7794661.html

Anonymous said...

Matthew Culbert Mr Prat Gray and A Johnstone. Front Page of the Standard showing the Burnt out shell with some of the bodies still inside ? Is that good taste comrades.

ajohnstone said...

There is always a debate on this sort of thing.

The burnt out tower is standing visible who live in the vicinity or passes it for all to see but there is now a suggestion to cover up somehow. Is this a case of out of sight out of mind?

In today's war of atrocities the mass media seldom depict the full horror by showing photos of the dead and dying and the mutilated since they believe it feeds the anti-war movement.
http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/socialist-standard/2000s/2003/no-1184-april-2003

Was it tasteful to show the photo of the body of Aylan Kurdi? Or was it justified in publicising the full extent of the tragedy of the deaths during the migrations.

I leave the dilemma to the lay-out team but we would be the rare organisation that would have desisted and this blogger won't be hiding the real picture of capitalism

Harley Wears said...

Comrade culbert and comrade gray is it ok to put pictures of the grenfell dead on the front cover of the standard

Matthew Culbert said...

Alan answered your original question about the Standard and I agree with him. This is not a discussion Forum. I have no problem with the way the Standard dealt with it.If you have a problem take it up with the Socialist Standard Publication Committee.