‘She should come and help out’: Theresa May faces angry backlash for not meeting victims of Grenfell Tower tragedy

Theresa May with firefighters at the scene on Thursday
Rick Findler/PA
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Theresa May faced a backlash from angry victims of the Grenfell Tower tragedy after she failed to speak to members of the public during a visit to the scene of the fire.

The Prime Minister spoke to emergency services on Thursday morning before announcing a full inquiry into the blaze in which at least 17 people were killed.

But nearby volunteers, who have gathered at churches and sports halls near the tower to help victims, criticised Mrs May for not visiting the centres.

Dee Baxter, whose friend lost her stepdad in the fire in the early hours of Wednesday, said: "It's disgusting. She should maybe come down and help out.

“We don't want to hear what she has to say if she doesn't want to speak to us.

Grenfell Tower donations and tributes - In pictures

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"Come and help us pack up the boxes, come and help the people who now have no parents."

Hundreds of people who lost their homes in the devastating blaze are taking shelter in sports halls, churches and community centres across Notting Hill.

Volunteers have been travelling between the centres with boxes of food, water and clothes for the victims.

It is still not known how many people died in the fire, with firefighters having said they are not expecting to find anyone alive inside the block.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn visited the scene and told locals: "We have to get to the bottom of this - the truth has got to come out and it will."

He hugged one woman as she told him about a missing 12-year-old girl who had been on the 20th floor of the tower, vowing: “We will speak up for this community, we will speak up with this community. We cannot allow people to live in a dangerous state.

Jeremy Corbyn consoles a member of the public as he visits the Grenfell Tower vicinity 
David Mirzoeff/Reuters

"And that is a worry obviously but the resources have to be found and we will demand and make sure that resources are."

Retired nurse and midwife Marjorie Bahhaj said after Mrs May declined to speak to locals: "How can she do that? She needs to be in there listening and acknowledging their needs.

"It would have been nice if she could have been here yesterday, all meetings should have been cancelled given the crisis."

Volunteer Emily Williams said: "No-one from the government has been here and spoke to us volunteers.

"Me and my daughter have been here since 8 o clock this morning and Theresa May was just outside and we didn't even see her."

The fire has sparked criticism of safety measures inside the tower block, with residents having complained to officials before the deadly blaze.

Devastation: The aftermath of the blaze
PA

Mrs May spoke to fire officials investigating the scene during her brief visit.

Charles Bauccio, 72, said: "It's not good. I'm very surprised that she came and didn't speak to the victims.

Grenfell Tower Firefighters - In pictures

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"The reaction of the community is overwhelming, I've worked all day yesterday and my daughter until 3 o clock in the morning."

The Prime Minister faced backlash from celebrities and activists for her decision not to meet with residents, with some describing the decision as “shameful”.

A rescue dog at Grenfell Tower on Thursday
Rick Findler/PA

Good Morning Britain’s Piers Morgan tweeted: “If it's true Theresa May didn't meet ANY survivors or relatives of the dead on her #Grenfell visit today, that's an absolute disgrace.”

And Green Wing actor Stephen Mangan wrote: “If Theresa May doesn’t get how appalling not meeting the Grenfell residents looks/is, you’d think an adviser would point it out to her.”

Writer and activist Jack Monroe tweeted: “Theresa May is going to visit the Grenfell site 'privately' and is apparently refusing to meet residents. Wow.”

And journalist and left-wing campaigner Owen Jones dubbed her actions “just appalling”.

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