Tory toff Jacob Rees-Mogg was forced to apologise for suggesting victims of the Grenfell Tower tragedy lacked “common sense”.
The Leader of the Commons told a radio show that he and his interviewer would have a left the burning building despite firefighters advising residents to stay put.
Seventy two people lost their lives in the horrific blaze in London in 2017. The youngest victim was a six-month old baby.
Posh boy Rees-Mogg, 50, referred to a critical report into the tragedy when he spoke to LBC’s Nick Ferrari on Tuesday morning.
He said: “The more one reads over the weekend about the report and about the chances of people surviving, if you just ignore what you’re told and leave you are so much safer.
“And I think if either of us were in a fire, whatever the fire brigade said, we would leave the burning building. It just seems the common sense thing to do. And it is such a tragedy that that didn’t happen.”
Leading widespread condemnation of the remarks, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “What possesses someone to react to an entirely avoidable tragedy like Grenfell by saying the victims lacked common sense?
“People were terrified, many died trying to escape. Jacob Rees-Mogg must apologise for these crass and insensitive comments immediately.”
Grenfell activists were also outraged by Rees-Mogg’s comments.
Yvette Williams, the chair of campaign group Justice4Grenfell, said: “This is an appalling statement to make but unsurprisingly symptomatic of Rees-Mogg’s ilk.
“Rees-Mogg has a privileged background, what is his experience of living in social housing? How many tower blocks has he lived in?”
Grenfell United, the survivors and bereaved families group, said: “The Leader of the House of Commons suggesting that the 72 people who lost their lives at Grenfell lacked common sense is beyond disrespectful. It is extremely painful and insulting to bereaved families.”
In a statement issued by his office this morning, Rees-Mogg said: “I profoundly apologise.
“What I meant to say is that I would have also listened to the fire brigade’s advice to stay and wait at the time. However, with what we know now and with hindsight I wouldn’t and I don’t think anyone else would.
“What’s so sad is that the advice given overrides common sense because everybody would want to leave a burning building.
“I would hate to upset the people of Grenfell if I was unclear in my comments. With hindsight and after reading the report no one would follow that advice. That’s the great tragedy.”
The London fire brigade were criticised in the official report into the tragedy for adopting a “stay put” policy as they fought the flames.
Fifty five of the victims were believed to have been told to stay in their homes as the blaze engulfed the building.
