• About Us
  • Contact Us
Today Headline
No Result
View All Result
  • breaking news today
    • Politics news
    • Sports
    • Science News & Society
  • Entertainment News
    • Movie
    • Gaming
  • Technology News
    • Automotive
    • Software & IT
  • Health News
    • Lifestyle
    • Insurance
  • Finance News
    • Money
  • Enterprise
  • Contact Us
  • breaking news today
    • Politics news
    • Sports
    • Science News & Society
  • Entertainment News
    • Movie
    • Gaming
  • Technology News
    • Automotive
    • Software & IT
  • Health News
    • Lifestyle
    • Insurance
  • Finance News
    • Money
  • Enterprise
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
TodayHeadline
No Result
View All Result

‘Extremely busy’ Eric Pickles tells Grenfell Inquiry not to waste his time

1 year ago
in Politics news
Reading Time: 3 mins read



A former Tory minister has sparked anger after telling the Grenfell Inquiry not to keep him too long because he is “extremely busy”.

Eric Pickles, the former housing secretary, was facing a grilling over a programme to slash “red tape” he oversaw in government – and whether it compromised building safety regulations.

The devastating Grenfell Tower disaster saw 72 people die, as fire engulfed a social housing block covered in unsafe flammable cladding.

But the public inquiry was shocked on Thursday after a furious Lord Pickles – now a Tory peer – responded to questioning by saying he had been promised he could leave soon.

A jaw dropping display of arrogance and distain from Eric Pickles at the Grenfell Tower Inquiry this morning. Only a thoroughly odious person would treat a public inquiry into the deaths of 72 people with such disrespect and contempt. https://t.co/ckNyLvm4nq

— Tom Copley (@tomcopley) April 7, 2022

‘An extremely busy day’

Irate at a line of questioning, Lord Pickles said: “By all means Sir, feel free to ask me as many questions as you like – but could I respectfully remind you that you did promise that we would be away this morning and I have changed my schedules to fit this in. I do have an extremely busy day.”

Adding that the inquiry was “more important than anything” in his diary, he added: “I urge you to use your time wisely.”

A stunned questioner, following a short silence, replied: “Right… May I please have an answer to my question?”

Lord Pickles answered: “I have answered it, I have answered it to the point of exhaustion, this document has no status.”

Addressing the former minister’s outburst, a spokesperson for the Justice 4 Grenfell Inquiry told The Independent that Lord Pickles lacked “humanity”.

“Eric Pickles should use his time wisely to meet each families of the 72 children, women and men who lost their lives at Grenfell,” she said.

‘Heads shaking in disbelief’

Referencing a list of names of those who died, she added: “Here are the names just in case he has been too busy to read them.

“How is our society tolerating this level of disrespect from a politician – paying him from the public purse too?

“What was he ‘busy’ doing when he ignored addressing blatant fire and building safety flaws at a government department he was in charge of?”

Emma Dent Coad, a local councillor who was the Labour MP for Kensington at the time of the fire, added:”Pickles’ attitude was frankly jaw-dropping; there were gasps and heads shaking in disbelief at his utter refusal to accept any kind of accountability.

“Nothing was his fault. There was no remorse, no hesitation to bounce questions back, torturing his responses with conditions and exceptions. We were asking ourselves what does a Secretary of State actually do?

“So his irritation today is no surprise but no less shocking. His self-importance sucks the air out of the room. Frankly he has condemned himself by his waffling words and impatience.

“And we all know now precisely why building regs were of so little importance to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Shame on him.”

Lord Eric Pickles speaking at the Grenfell Tower fire inquiry says he has changed his “schedules to fit this in” and urges the chairman to “use your time wisely”.

After a break he apologises if he “seemed discourteous”. pic.twitter.com/V39cgc5GGa

— i newspaper (@theipaper) April 7, 2022

Related: Shale-hungry Tories call for law change to allow fracking

Related Posts

First Cambridge University pre-degree finishers begin undergraduate studies
Politics news

First Cambridge University pre-degree finishers begin undergraduate studies

For free real time breaking...

Read more
Duane 'Keffe D' Davis charged with 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas

Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis charged with 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas

Ava Evans is the political reporter and commentator (specialist area: trade unions) who found herself at the centre of a horrifying debacle

‘I fear for my safety and am questioning whether I can carry on with my job,’ says reporter Ava Evans in light of GB News scandal

Newspaper headlines: 'PM eyes motorists' vote' and 'Coach crash tragedy'

Newspaper headlines: 'PM eyes motorists' vote' and 'Coach crash tragedy'

Pence Refutes Trump Legal Team’s Claims

Republicans Have No Plan to Prevent a Shutdown

Load More
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

X CEO Slams Claims Elon Musk Runs the Company in Caustic Interview

Broken brain connections, not protein clumps, may lie behind Alzheimer’s, study in mice suggests

Pence Refutes Trump Legal Team’s Claims

What Does Matt Gaetz Really Want?

Chemical engineers unveil fire-safe fuel

Peach schnapps recipes

Lil Durk & Kid Cudi Join Forces On ‘Guitar In My Room’

Duane 'Keffe D' Davis charged with 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas

Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis charged with 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas

Claims Swirl Around Possible Friendly Fire Shoot-Down Of Russian Su-35 Near Tokmak

Honda unveils $10K electric N-Van e with 130-mile range, V2H

How to Use Artificial Intelligence to Improve Customer Experiences

About Us

Todayheadline the independent news and topics discovery
A home-grown and independent news and topic aggregation . displays breaking news linking to news websites all around the world.

Follow Us

Latest News

Lil Durk & Kid Cudi Join Forces On ‘Guitar In My Room’

Duane 'Keffe D' Davis charged with 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas

Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis charged with 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas

Claims Swirl Around Possible Friendly Fire Shoot-Down Of Russian Su-35 Near Tokmak

Lil Durk & Kid Cudi Join Forces On ‘Guitar In My Room’

Duane 'Keffe D' Davis charged with 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas

Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis charged with 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas

Claims Swirl Around Possible Friendly Fire Shoot-Down Of Russian Su-35 Near Tokmak

  • Real Estate
  • Parenting
  • Cooking
  • NFL Games On TV Today
  • Travel and Tourism
  • Home & Garden
  • Pets
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
  • About

© 2023 All rights are reserved Today headline

No Result
View All Result
  • Real Estate
  • Parenting
  • Cooking
  • NFL Games On TV Today
  • Travel and Tourism
  • Home & Garden
  • Pets
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
  • About

© 2023 All rights are reserved Today headline