The Kensington branch of the Conservative party have issued a leaflet asking constituents to rate how important the Grenfell Tower and providing aid to those affected by the tragedy is to them.
The statement that is to be rated from 0-10 as to how important the issue is to constituents reads: “the tragedy of the Grenfell Tower and help for the families affected and the wider community.”
Kensington residents have reportedly found the leaflet to be ‘insensitive’ as the tragedy is ‘not something one would ever want to quantify.’
The leaflet was sent out to gauge the importance of local issues ahead of the 2018 election, and was sent out to one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in London, Courtfeild Ward in Kensignton. As the horrors of the Grenfell Tower highlighted the widening class divide in Kensington to the world, to ask the more affluent residents of Kensington if they think helping the victims and the community is important seems extremely callous, as those who suffered did not benefit from the wealth of the borough.
After the tragedy, it was commonly mentioned that the fire occurred in the ‘one of the richest boroughs in London.’ This, however, ignores the poverty in Kensington due to low low-income and inadequate housing that inner West London is the worst part of the Capital for, especially Kensington. Area’s of London are not a clear divide between rich and poor, though Grenfell sat in such an affluent area, it and the surrounding tower blocks live in a world completely different from those in Courtfeild Ward. In an email sent out to labour supporters, Jeremy Corbyn described the leaflet as insulting, as preventing another fire like Grenfell couldn’t be more important. He also pointed the blame at Theresa May, who he says could use next weeks budget to set aside money to fit high-rise social housing with sprinklers.
Whether providing aid to those suffering the aftermath of the fire is important should not be a question the Conservative party ask their constituents. In fact, it shouldn’t even be a question and a tragedy such as this should never be attempted to be quantified. The leaflet was clearly poorly thought out and displays a lack of compassion from the Conservative party.
