Minister loses brief after Grenfell survivors complaint

A housing minister has lost her building safety brief after Grenfell survivors complained about her attendance at a conference sponsored by a firm criticised by an inquiry into the deadly fire.

Rushanara Ali said she understands that "perception matters" and trusted relationships between the government and the Grenfell community are "essential".

It came after Grenfell United, a group that represents survivors and bereaved families, allegedly demanded her removal, according to The Sunday Times.

The paper reported she had been a regular attendee of the Franco-British Colloque, an annual policy forum, which was co-chaired by the former chairman of Saint-Gobain, Pierre-Andre de Chalendar between 2012 and 2024.

The French manufacturing firm was until recently the majority owner of Celotex, the company which made most of the flammable insulation used behind the panels on the building.

Celotex was one of the companies the Grenfell Inquiry report said cynically, deliberately, and dishonestly sold what they knew to be flammable construction materials as "fire safe".

The fire, which broke out on 14 June 2017 in the 24-storey tower block in Kensington, west London killed 72 people.

Read more:
Grenfell Inquiry main findings
What happened in the Grenfell Tower fire

Ms Ali said in a statement: "Trusted relationships between ministers and the Grenfell community are essential for this department.

"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.

"Our goals of making buildings safe and preventing another tragedy continue to be very important issues for me, and the deputy prime minister and the rest of the ministerial team have my full support in delivering on this work."

She will remain a minister in the housing department, keeping her responsibilities for homelessness and rough sleeping.