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Angela Rayner reveals she took advice from NHS trauma specialists ahead of Grenfell demolition meeting
12 February 2025, 20:45 | Updated: 12 February 2025, 21:01
Watch Again: Andrew Marr speaks to Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner | 12/02/25
Angela Rayner has told LBC that that she took advice from NHS trauma specialists ahead of her meeting with Grenfell families and survivors over the demolition of the tower.
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The Deputy Prime Minister had previously defended her decision to demolish the structure, which was announced during a private meeting with families and survivors last week.
The final decision over the fate of the west London tower block divided opinion, with the MP denying she had been "aggressive" in her response.
Speaking with Andrew Marr on Wednesday, Ms Rayner revealed: "I took advice from trauma specialists at the NHS there with me to try and give the clear information and to do it in a way that was as less traumatic as it could be, but it was always going to be difficult."
Some of those who survived and were bereaved by the 2017 fire expressed upset and shock after meeting with Ms Rayner, saying they felt they had not had their views considered before the decision was taken.
Asked if she had been worried about delivering the news, Ms Rayner told LBC's Tonight With Andrew Marr: "I knew it was going to be a really difficult meeting."
It comes as a petition, started by Grenfell survivor Emma O'Connor and calling for the "bereaved a proper say on Grenfell's fate", approached 19,000 signatures on Wednesday.
Ms O'Connor explained on the Change.org petition: "It’s heartbreaking that this decision is being made without our support or understanding."
Angela Rayner on Grenfell
Speaking with Marr on Wednesday, Ms Rayner said: "Secretary of states before me have not made decisions on the tower, and I think some of that is because it's really difficult, and I knew it was going to be very traumatic to the people."
She also revealed that she "knew that there was not a consensus" among of families, with the final decision always set to divide opinion.
"I'd consulted and spoke to many different people, the bereaved, I spoke to survivors, I spoke to the local head teachers of the schools where the children are still traumatised every day as they're walking around the tower, I spoke to the community, and I knew there wasn't a consensus," she told Andrew Marr.
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"I knew it was going to be really difficult, but I also knew that I had the engineering advice as well and on top of the views that I got and the engineering advice, I knew that the only decision to make really was that the tower had to come down.
"Ms Rayner also told of her anger over the decision being leaked to the press before families were informed.
She said she tried to ensure she spoke to bereaved and survivors first, adding: "What really upsets me about this is these people have been through the most horrendous, horrific experience, lost their loved ones, gone through huge trauma, and the last thing they need is media reports and speculation before they've had the opportunity (to be informed).
"So I was really angered by the fact that some of those leaks were happening."
It comes days after the housing minister met with King Charles, alongside Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, for a royal tour of a new housing estate.
Charles was accompanied by the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister during three visits in Nansledan, a 540-acre extension to the seaside town of Newquay.
The King, dressed in a camel coloured coat, spoke to construction workers as the trio toured the site on Monday, with the group visiting houses, a school and an orchard in in the seaside town.
