Tragedies In The Time Of ‘Political Sensitivity’

With their heads bowed scores of firefighters remembered Hanin Kua, 14, sister Basma, 13, mother Muna Elmufatish, 41, and little brothers Mustafa and Yehya, aged five and two who were killed when a fire swept through their home in Neasden, north west London in the early hours of yesterday.

Is this normal?

Crest Academy will be opening as normal tomorrow but there will be an assembly at 9.50am for students to pay their respects.

A counselling service for girls traumatised by the tragedy will be offered at the school by a children's bereavement agency.

OK, sadly, that’s normal these days, when schools feel compelled to ‘do something’ despite evidence that this doesn’t help and may even make things worse.

But this is surely not normal?

The fire is being treated as unexplained, and the Metropolitan Police and London Fire Brigade have begun an investigation, a police spokesman said.

Matthew Gardner, Met Police borough commander, said it was 'not being treated as suspicious'.

I mean, if it’s unexplained, how can you rule anything out?

And as for this:

At a press conference this afternoon, he said officers would be making 'reassuring patrols' across the area in the coming days.

What? Why? This is surely not normal after a house fire, even one with such a body count?

This might be a clue:

The family are believed to be Palestinian refugees who came to Britain seeking a better life.

OK, now I’m beginning to see why this rather odd official response has been taken.