Netflix documentary revisits Tory MP’s painful blunder over Grenfell death toll

Grenfell: Uncovered has landed on Netflix today, revisiting the tragedy that occurred at Grenfell Tower in West London on June 14, 2017. The documentary examines the events leading up to the deadly fire, which took the lives of 72 people, and the inquiry that followed.

The film, directed by Olaide Sadiq, includes poignant interviews with survivors and their loved ones, as well as an eye-opening investigation into the various failings in the public and private sector that led to the catastrophe.

The Netflix synopsis reads: “The film will forensically connect the long and disturbing chain of events that led to the disastrous Grenfell Tower fire that claimed the lives of 72 people in west London in 2017. As well as giving a voice to survivors, bereaved families and firefighters, the documentary will unravel and document a series of events that took place in the years before the fire.”

The Grenfell Inquiry’s final report explains how a chain of failures across government and the private sector led to Grenfell Tower becoming a “death trap”.

Footage from this inquiry, which is included in the documentary, also revisits former Tory MP Lord Eric Pickles’ slip-up when he failed to correctly remember the number of people who died as a result of the fire.

The former communities secretary, who has previously faced pressure to quit as a Tory peer over the Grenfell Inquiry backlash, insisted that a stronger response to the coroner's urgent warning and vital recommendations in 2013 would not “have made any difference whatsoever”.

In the clip, we see him add that officials in the building regulations department had a “mindset” that “just simply ignored what was happening”.

“We will see various court cases that will put it together, but ultimately it comes down… to the nameless, I think it’s 96 people, who were killed in the Grenfell fire. It’s them we should think about when we’re arguing the toss,” he added.

The Grenfell Tower fire actually killed 72 people, all of whom have been named. In the documentary, we see Inside Housing’s Peter Apps say: “As everybody knows, 72 residents at Grenfell died.

“96 was the number of victims of the Hillsborough disaster. That number, 72, should sit with everybody if it’s important to you.

“If it’s not important to you, then yeah, sure, it’s something you’ll forget. You’ll just mix it up with another disaster where a lot of working class people died.”

According to Inside Housing, Lord Pickles also apologised for his “discourteous” conduct during the inquiry after suggesting that they picked up the pace so that he could attend a meeting in the afternoon.

The footage shows him saying: “Can I respectfully remind you that you did promise we will be away this morning and I have changed my schedule to fit this in. I do have an extremely busy day meeting people… so I would urge you to use your time wisely.”

He reportedly went on to apologise for the comment, saying he had cancelled the meeting.

The feature-length documentary Grenfell: Uncovered calls for urgent action before another tragedy like this can happen again.

The cladding was found to be the “principal” reason for the blaze’s rapid spread, with fire tests decades earlier revealing how dangerous it was.

Last weekend, Londoners gathered to remember the 72 victims of the Grenfell Tower Fire with a silent walk through the streets of north Kensington.

It comes two months ahead of the tower being slowly taken down, with former residents bidding a final farewell to their home.

Grenfell: Uncovered is available to stream now on Netflix.