34 council blocks fail safety test on cladding
THOUSANDS more families are facing evacuation after their blocks of flats failed emergency safety tests.
At least 34 councilowned high rises across 17 local authorities have now been found to have similar combustible cladding to that used on Grenfell Tower.
Portsmouth, Manchester and Plymouth were named along with the London authorities Camden, Brent and Hounslow.
It came after Camden council ordered a mass evacuation of 650 flats on Friday night.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called on Theresa May to hold a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee to co-ordinate a stronger response to the growing crisis.
He said: “Tower blocks across the country have now failed fire safety tests in the wake of the Grenfell tower disaster.
“This is now a nationwide threat – and the Prime Minister needs to get a grip and lead a national response, including convening the Cobra committee to coordinate government and public action.”
Birmingham city council leader John Clancy described the situation as a “national emergency”. He added: “There is a collective national trauma at the moment and people up and down the country go to bed afraid.”