Deaths could have been avoided, says Corbyn

Investigations have revealed at least 11 more towers with flammable cladding

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said each of the Grenfell Tower fire deaths “could and should have been avoided”, as it emerged combustible cladding has been found on at least 11 other tower blocks.

He was speaking after Theresa May gave MPs an update on the tragedy and revealed tests on cladding on other blocks had been found to be combustible.

Downing Street has since confirmed 11 blocks of flats in eight local authority areas have been found to have flammable facades, with tests being conducted to see if many more could have the same material that is suspected of helping the Grenfell blaze spread.

Mr Corbyn compared the tragedy with the Hillsborough disaster and child abuse scandals, saying: “The pattern is consistent – working-class people’s voices are ignored, their concerns dismissed by those in power.”

He said thousands of people living in tower blocks around the country needed urgent safety assurances.

The Prime Minister said: “The relevant local authorities and local fire services have been informed, and, as I speak, they are taking all possible steps to ensure buildings are safe and to inform affected residents.”

Mrs May also said the tragedy will not be used to carry out immigration checks on those affected or on those providing “vital” information to identify victims or to assist the criminal investigation into the fire.

She said “no stone will be left unturned” in the inquiry into the tragedy.

Among the 11 buildings so far confirmed by the Government to have flammable facades are the Chalcots Estate in north London, which is removing the cladding, and the Mount Wise Tower in Plymouth.

Residents of Rivers Apartments in Tottenham were greeted by a notice informing them an “immediate review of the exterior cladding” was being carried out.

The Grenfell Response Team said almost £1 million had been distributed to affected families as of yesterday afternoon, with 354 households within the cordon area placed into emergency accommodation.

A total of 140 hotel placements have been made for people living in Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk, while there are 109 households now in hotels from the wider affected area.

There remain 21 households from Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk who have been contacted but have not had their housing needs assessed yet.

Earlier yesterday, Kensington and Chelsea council’s chief executive Nicholas Holgate was forced to quit by Communities Secretary Sajid Javid after the local authority’s handling of the crisis came under intense criticism.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan called for more heads to roll, while campaigners urged Mr Javid to ratchet up pressure on the Conservative leader of the council, Nicholas Paget-Brown.

Mr Khan said the entire leadership of Kensington and Chelsea council should be considering their positions and that there was “not a chance in hell” that residents “will have the semblance of confidence in that council until they see a change in leadership”.

Mr Javid said Camden, Manchester and Plymouth were three areas where buildings had failed the test but stressed he could not reveal more because local residents in the others have not yet been informed, despite landlords being alerted to results.

In the Commons, Mr Corbyn questioned why the political leaders of the council were not “taking responsibility” as well as the chief executive.

Mr Paget-Brown later issued a statement apologising for a “failing in our collective response” to the fire, admitting coordination on the ground could have been better and rehoming people was not “as fast as we would have liked”.

Liberal Democrat peer Lord Newby accused the PM of hypocrisy in her statement,in which she said the fire had underlined the plight of poorer families and pledged to “stand up for them”.

Lord Newby argued the Tories had fought the election on a platform of cuts to school funding, benefits and local government.

He said: “This hypocrisy makes me very, very angry.”

Picture: PA. Residents of Rivers Apartments in Tottenham, north London, have been told there will be an immediate review of the exterior cladding on their tower block.