Dear Brother/Sister,
The FBU has published a book, Culpable: Deregulation, Austerity and the Causes of the Grenfell Tower Fire, as part of the union’s ongoing work to learn the lessons of the Grenfell Tower fire.
The book explains how the drive for deregulation by central governments over more than thirty years damaged building safety and fire safety, allowing flammable cladding and other building defects to be installed on Grenfell Tower and hundreds of high rise residential buildings. The politicians who weakened safety laws, who privatised and contracted out public services, including our fire and rescue service, paved the way for the disaster at Grenfell Tower and the current safety crisis facing thousands of residents.
The book also sets out the FBU’s warnings, campaigns and political interventions to protect safety and prevent such a disaster. FBU officials warned politicians decades before Grenfell about the dangers of cladding. The FBU has continued to fight for safe homes for all since the Grenfell Tower fire. The book is a record of the vital role of the union.
The book is published by Pluto Press and will shortly be available for sale in bookshops. We thank the publishers for their dedicated work getting it out. The book was drafted by Paul Hampton, FBU head of research and policy, overseen by the executive council and full-time officials. It is based on more than eight years of work by the union, its officials and staff.
We thank all those involved in producing the book and hope members will use it for current and future campaigning.
Yours in solidarity,
Steve Wright
General Secretary
