Simon Dudley, Reform UK’s newly appointed housing spokesperson, has faced calls for dismissal following comments he made regarding the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire and subsequent building safety regulations.
Dudley, a former chair of Homes England, told Inside Housing magazine that whilst Grenfell was “a tragedy” and “a failure”, he added: “Sadly, you know, everyone dies in the end. It’s just how you go, right?” He went on to question the building safety regulations introduced following the disaster, describing them as “regulation which is not working”.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called on Reform leader Nigel Farage to remove Dudley from his position, describing the comments as shameful. Grenfell United, a bereaved families and survivors group, said the remarks were “insensitive and deeply dehumanising”.
Impact on housebuilding sector
Dudley’s comments came amid ongoing debate about the balance between building safety and housing delivery. He referenced an announcement by Berkeley Group, London’s largest housebuilder, which recently stated it would cease purchasing land for development due to what it termed “unprecedented” increases in costs and regulation.
“My concern is the introduction of numerous measures that do nothing to protect life and are throttling housebuilding,” Dudley said in a subsequent statement on social media. The comments reflect broader industry tensions as construction firms navigate evolving compliance requirements.
A Reform UK spokesperson defended Dudley’s position, stating: “Simon’s comments on Grenfell reflected his broader point that the regulatory pendulum has swung too far in response to the tragedy.”
Political and industry response
The Fire Brigades Union’s general secretary, Steve Wright, described the remarks as “disgusting and shocking”, whilst the Grenfell Next of Kin group stated: “The death of our parents, partners, children, siblings, grandparents and grandchildren in the most horrific circumstances was gross negligent manslaughter, NOT fate.”
Dudley joined Reform in February after previously serving as chair of the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation until July 2024. His appointment was part of Farage’s stated plan to recruit more technical experts to advise the party on policy matters. The controversy comes as the UK housing market faces ongoing supply challenges.
In a follow-up statement, Dudley said: “Grenfell was an utter tragedy and quite rightly prompted a wholesale review and tightening of fire regulations. I said it was a tragedy in my interview with Inside Housing and in no shape or form am I belittling that disaster or the huge loss of life.”
The incident highlights the continuing sensitivity around building safety regulation in the UK property sector, with regulatory changes affecting multiple aspects of the industry since the Grenfell fire, which claimed 72 lives.
