Nigel Farage dismisses Reform UK housing spokesman over Grenfell remarks
Simon Dudley's controversial comments lead to his removal
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has removed Simon Dudley from his position as housing spokesman following backlash over his comments concerning the Grenfell Tower fire.
At a central London press conference, Dudley described the 2017 tragedy, which claimed 72 lives, as inevitable, stating, "Sadly, you know, everyone dies in the end."
The remarks, criticised as "deeply inappropriate" by Farage and deemed "shameful" by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, sparked calls for Dudley's dismissal.
The bereaved and survivors' group, Grenfell United, condemned Dudley's words as "deeply dehumanising."
"Our loves ones did not simply 'die', They were failed"
Dudley, appointed to the Reform role in the previous month, faced criticism for suggesting post-Grenfell building safety regulations were ineffective.
He later expressed regret, insisting his intention was not to belittle the disaster or its victims.
In a statement, Grenfell United said: "Our loved ones did not simply ‘die’. They were failed."
"They were trapped in their homes, in a building that should have been safe, in a fire that should never have happened. Reducing their deaths to an inevitability strips away the truth: this was preventable."
Dudley, a former executive at Homes England and Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, will no longer serve as spokesman for Reform UK.