Like everyone else in the country, I have been left feeling very saddened by the fire in London, which destroyed an entire block of flats and killed potentially hundreds.

It is now a few days since the catastrophe, and like many, I have had time to reflect and ask “why did this happen?”. While there is yet to be an investigation into the cause of the tragedy, it has been widely reported that the block of flats were refurbished on the cheap, with flammable material and no obvious signs of fire alarms, extinguishers or sprinklers.

It has since emerged that the Tories voted against introducing a law, which would force landlords to ensure the safety of the properties they rent to tenants. Coincidentally, many Conservative MPs are landlords themselves…

The unnecessary loss of life caused by the fire is simply devastating. Hundreds of people would have gone to bed, only to wake up with a room full of toxic smoke and fire, with no means of escape. The reports of parents throwing their children from upper floors of the flat shows just how horrific it must have been to be trapped in a burning flat.

This was all avoidable. Had the Tories voted with the wellbeing of tenants in mind, instead of for personal and selfish financial gain, the tragedy could have been avoided. A placard being carried by a protestor summed it up perfectly – “CORPORATE GREED”.

Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, attended the scene of the disaster within hours. The Queen and Prince William were not far behind; all giving support to the victims. The Prime Minister,  Theresa May, only managed to meet some of the brave firefighters. The photos of her with the unsung heroes, which have been circulated on social media, show her with a look boredom on her face, suggesting that she would rather be somewhere else. I will credit Mrs May – she eventually did visit a hospital, to meet some of the poor people injured in the fire. This was only after a national outcry at her lack of activity.

I have never known the country to be in this much of a mess. It reminds me of the Margaret Thatcher era, although I only know about what happened from books and television. I remember being a child and my parents being very upset by the Baroness. Sadly, I am now experiencing what they felt all those years ago. Thatcher and May are cut from the same cloth.

Finally, I send my best wishes to all those affected by the devastation. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.