Theresa May 'welled up' in meeting with Grenfell families, says reverend
Theresa May was so moved by the stories of Grenfell victims during her meetings with them this weekend that she was "welling up", according to a reverend who was there.
It comes after the Prime Minister faced anger and pressure over her response to the disaster after she failed to meet victims in the immediate aftermath of the blaze.
Rev. Mark O’Donoghue, the area dean of Kensington, told ITV News of Mrs May's "shocking" emotional response, saying she held the hand of one of the victims while residents described of their experiences.
"The first person who spoke was a survivor from the 19th floor and - not quite my caricature of the Prime Minister - but to see her welling up, the response in the meeting, and to see her holding the hand of a sobbing lady next to her in the meeting was quite shocking I think to most of us there."
Rev. Mark O’Donoghue said Mrs May had expressed what came across as a "genuine compassion" as he described her reaction as something that was "long overdue".
He said there was still "simmering anger" among residents as well as "hostility and concern" over whether it Downing Street might offer no more than "warm words".
But he said it was clear that action had been taken since Mrs May held her first meeting on Friday and her offer of support had gone some way to help reassure attendees that things were being done to help.
He said: "I think she reassured them, that to some extent, by underlining that concerns about the numbers that police were going to be asked to give realistic assessments rather than just figures.
"So the people could have some realistic understanding of what was going on."
He added: "I think the thing that most encouraged us was it felt like she was taking charge and she wasn't allowing others to do it she was now going to make sure this happened and she was going to be personally responsible."