The first cabinet meeting for Kensington and Chelsea Council since the Grenfell Tower blaze was called off at the last minute.
Before the session was abruptly brought to a close, under-pressure leader Nicholas Paget-Brown apologised for the authority’s response to the tragedy in which at least 80 people died.
Here is where the cabinet of @rbkc were sitting moments ago, before scrapping the meeting once journalists arrived. pic.twitter.com/Kbd0FfiX77
— Jack Hardy (@JackHardy9) June 29, 2017
Paget-Brown made the call to scrap the meeting once journalists turned up.
Despite reporters being allowed access following a High Court order – initially they were barred from attending, as were members of the public – Paget-Brown claimed the presence of the media would “prejudice” the forthcoming public inquiry.
While the meeting was taking place, Labour councillor Robert Atkinson, whose ward includes Grenfell Tower, laid into the authority’s leader, yelling: “An absolute fiasco, this is why I am calling for your resignation.”
“Our reputation is absolutely in the gutter,” another councillor in the room said.
Left, High Court order permitting press access to tonight’s @RBKC cabinet meeting. Right, journalists still being denied entry pic.twitter.com/ZUlu64NtYM
— Jack Hardy (@JackHardy9) June 29, 2017
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the council’s decision to abandon the meeting “beggars belief”.
It was a sentiment echoed on social media.
The audacity of Chelsea and Kensington council banning Grenfell tower survivors from their meeting is mind blowing!
— DarkStar (@Dark_Star_Girl) June 30, 2017