Doreen Lawrence writes movingly about the the indifference of the authorities to the residents who lived in Grenfell Tower and to those who live in social housing, drawing 'striking parallels' with the handling of the investigation into the murder of her son Stephen.
'Very few people in positions of power understand what this experience is like. I doubt they have ever had to live in poor housing or know what it is like to feel invisible, like no one cares.' She writes in the Observer, pointing to the structural failures which mean that those who live in social housing have been denied the right to a safe home.
She writes further about the 'undeniable part' race and class play in the response of authorities and in whose voices get heard. The Tower residents were largely immigrants or refuges, whom people in power felt they could ignore - it has taken the fuel of anger and pain to bring their voices to prominence and force an enquiry.
Baroness Lawrence is no putting her energies into improving the situation and now part of housing charity Shelter’s Big Conversation on social housing.
