Jeremy Corbyn has said he is calling for people to “campaign like never before” following the fire at Grenfell Tower.
Last week, a blaze ripped through the high-rise block of flats, killing 79 residents, injuring scores more, and with a death toll that is expected to rise.
Speaking to NME backstage at Glastonbury after his speech on the Pyramid Stage earlier this afternoon (June 23), the Labour leader said: “I think we have to recognise that what happened at Grenfell Tower is a game changer in our society. It’s a game changer about safety. it’s a game change about attitudes to housing – do we treat housing solely as a marketing opportunity or do we treat it as something that’s a human right and a necessity?
He continued: “I don’t think the fifth richest country in the world should see predominantly poor people burning to death in a towering inferno any more than it should tolerate people sleeping on the streets around stations. We can and should do a lot better. I hope this is a massive wake up call for the entire community and I’m calling on people to campaign like never before for housing justice.”
During his Other Stage set, Stormzy delivered a powerful tribute to the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire disaster this evening (June 24), urging the UK government and the relevant authorities to “tell the fucking truth.”
After performing ‘Scary’, Stormzy took time out from his high-energy performance to address the fall-out from the Grenfell Tower fire.
“In light of recent events, I’m just gonna say this,” he began. “We urge the authorities to tell the fucking truth, first and foremost. We urge them to do something. We urge the fucking government to be held accountable for the fuckery, and we ain’t gonna stop until we get what we deserve.”
He then performed an a cappella version of his verse from the recent Grenfell Tower charity single, which hit number one in the UK singles charts yesterday (June 23).