The leadership and accountability vacuum at Kensington and Chelsea council was perfectly illustrated during today’s Victoria Derbyshire show when a dog took the place of one of two Tory council leaders who refused to show up.

Council leader Nick Paget Brown (right) and deputy leader and cabinet member for housing Rock Feilding-Mellen (left) refused to take part in the programme with Grenfell residents despite “repeated requests” for their participation.

In response to their snub to survivors, two empty chairs with photos of the pair were set out at the social club in the shadow of Grenfell Tower where the show was filmed.

Luna, the dog of one of the residents taking part in the live show, completed the cowardly Tory councillor’s humiliation on national TV by taking the place of Feilding-Mellen.

Local Labour MP Emma Dent Coad said: “It’s no surprise to me at all that you have an empty chair there. Having worked on the council for 11 years, the depth of incompetence is absolutely mind boggling. Mind boggling.”

Tory London Assembly Member Tony Devenish and Housing Minister Alok Sharma were decent enough to turn up, but were reprimanded by residents for talking to them in platitudes:

‘We want permanent accommodation, not platitudes’ Grenfell residents challenge housing minister Alok Sharma. pic.twitter.com/GLPQb76i6u — Victoria Derbyshire (@VictoriaLIVE) June 28, 2017

If you’ve been replaced by a dog, you know it’s time to go…