Grenfell Tower inquiry - latest: Furious families demand justice as Catford flat fire breaks out hours later

Bereaved and survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire have said the inquiry’s final damning report shows they were “failed by calculated dishonesty and greed”.

Grenfell United, which represents some of the families, said Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s findings made it clear their lawyers were correct to tell the inquiry that corporate bodies, such as Kingspan, Celotex and Arconic, were “little better than crooks and killers”.

They criticised previous governments who they said “aided corporations, facilitating them to profit and dictate regulation” and called on some of the firms involved to be banned from government contracts.

Their statement also said that while the report is a “significant chapter” in the years since the fire, “justice has not been delivered” as they restated their call for police and prosecutors to “ensure that those who are truly responsible are held to account and brought to justice”.

It comes as around 70 firefighters tackled a blaze at two flats on the ninth and 10th floors of a tower block in south-east London.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) said received more than 50 calls to the fire in Catford, as images on social media showed flames and smoke billowing from the building.

The LFB said the fire was under control as of around 2.15pm and there were no reports of any injuries.

Key Points

• ‘Systematic dishonesty' of construction industry fuelled tragedy

• Decades of failures from governments, local councils and the emergency services

• Decisions on criminal prosecutions not expected until 2026

• Inquiry chairman says all 72 deaths were avoidable

• Final report published seven years after fire

Where the Grenfell Tower victims were found

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Pictured: Aftermath of blaze at a tower block in Catford, south-east London

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The tragic stories behind the night Grenfell Tower fire claimed 72 victims

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My colleague Sam Webb has the full report:

Tragic stories behind the night Grenfell Tower fire claimed 72 victims

Watch: Prime minister pledges to take action after damning final Grenfell report

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Met chief ‘cannot imagine’ how Grenfell families feel over lengthy police probe

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A senior Metropolitan Police officer has said he “cannot imagine” how it feels for families and victims to wait for the outcome of a police investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire.

Those affected by the disaster face a wait of another year to 18 months from the report’s publication before they find out whether any criminal charges will be brought over the tragedy.

Speaking outside Scotland Yard on Wednesday, Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said he “cannot imagine” the impact of such a long wait.

“I cannot imagine the impact of such a long criminal investigation and public inquiry, and what that impact is on those that are so deeply affected,” he said.

“But I’ve spoken to many of them at different times over the last seven years, they have my personal commitment, the commitment of the Met Police, that we will do everything that we can to secure justice for those who died.”

Full report: 70 firefighters tackle blaze in Catford high rise on day Grenfell report released

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My colleague Alex Croft reports:

Seventy firefighters tackle fire in Catford high rise on day Grenfell report released

Grenfell Tower fire inquiry: What are the key findings of the report?

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Grenfell Tower fire report: What are the key findings of the inquiry?

Pictured: Members of a support group for the next of kin and families hold press conference

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Man who lost sister in Grenfell blaze says justice is owed to him

15:01 , Jabed Ahmed

A man whose sister was killed in the Grenfell Tower tragedy has said the inquiry has delayed the justice owed to him and other bereaved families.

“No one has asked me if I wanted this inquiry”, Karim Khalloufi, whose sister Khadija was among the 72 who died, told a press conference in central London.

“Maybe I will die without having justice,” he added at the briefing given by members of a support group for the next of kin of some the 72 people killed in the tower block blaze in 2017.

Another victim’s relative told the event at the Royal Lancaster London hotel he wanted manslaughter charges to be brought, adding “nothing else will do”.

The Crown Prosecution Service has said decisions on potential criminal prosecutions are not expected for another two years.

Watch: Angry families say justice has not been done after damning report

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‘We must all acknowledge the part we played’: Ex-PM Theresa May leads political apologies for Grenfell

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The Independent’s Political Editor David Maddox reports:

We must all acknowledge the part we played’: Ex-PM May leads apologies for Grenfell’

Watch: Firefighters tackle blaze at Catford tower block on same day Grenfell report published

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Man who lost six family members in Grenfell voices his fury at the inquiry

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Hisam Choucair, who lost six family members in the Grenfell Fire disaster, said watching witnesses “laugh” while giving evidence during the inquiry “burns me inside”.

Mr Choucair thanked the Grenfell Inquiry for its findings but said it had prevented prosecutions from being brought.

“This inquiry was forced on us,” he said at a briefing given by members of a support group for the next of kin in central London.

“It’s delayed the justice my family deserves.”

Metropolitan police spearheading separate criminal inquiry into the blaze

14:32 , Jabed Ahmed

Earlier this year, the Metropolitan Police gave an update on the separate criminal inquiry that is taking place following the blaze that killed 72 people.

Grenfell survivors could be waiting until 2027 for justice.

Read the full report below:

Grenfell survivors could be forced to wait until 2027 for justice, police reveal

Grenfell Tower survivor criticises ‘seven-year delay to justice’

14:28 , Jabed Ahmed

Grenfell Tower survivor Francis Dean has criticised what he called the “seven-year delay to justice” as he and others wait for criminal prosecutions to be brought.

“Since that night I’ve not been the same person, I’m messed up,” he said at a briefing given by members of a support group for the next of kin in central London.

“The government at the time promised us justice. I hope this current Government can take up the lead.”

Angela Rayner promises government will work ‘tirelessly’ to deliver change

14:26 , Jabed Ahmed

Angela Rayner promised to “work tirelessly” to “deliver a stronger culture of safety” following the publication of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s final report.

The Deputy Prime Minister, who also serves as Housing Secretary, said in a post on X, formerly Twitter: “We remember the 72 innocent lives lost in the Grenfell Tower tragedy. My thoughts are with the bereaved families, the survivors and residents in the immediate community.

“As Keir Starmer said, on behalf of the British state we apologise to each and every one of them.

“The Grenfell community has campaigned tirelessly to push for justice & change.

“My promise to them is to work tirelessly, with urgency & care, to deliver a stronger culture of safety across the system from top to bottom.”

MP for Kensington and Bayswater says deaths in his constituency were due to ‘profit before people’s lives’

14:17 , Jabed Ahmed

Joe Powell, the Labour MP for Kensington and Bayswater, said deaths at Grenfell Tower in his constituency were the result of individuals and organisations that were “systematically dishonest and put profit before people’s lives”.

He told MPs: “This is a very painful day for the community. Prime Minister, the shameless merry-go-round of buck-passing that has happened for the last seven years since Grenfell must now come to an end.

“So I want to thank you for your personal commitment to drive the lasting change and to hold people accountable.”

He added: “Can (the Prime Minister) commit to ensuring that companies identified in this report will be excluded from public contracts, held account to the full extent of the law and pay their full weight of financial remediation for the building safety remedial work that is needed?”

Sir Keir Starmer responded: “I can confirm that we will do everything to make sure there is full accountability, including criminal accountability where appropriate.

“I do remind the House that notwithstanding the strong findings in the report, it is the last thing now that the victims, bereaved and the community want or need is for anything to go wrong with possible legal proceedings, so we must all bear that in mind, but I absolutely understand the sentiment, and in relation to the contracts, I stand by what I said in my statement.”

How the Grenfell Tower fire spread

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Muslim survivors denied halal food while being rehoused, inquiry finds

13:59 , Jabed Ahmed

Muslim survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire were badly failed by the local council and denied their right to halal food while being temporarily rehoused at hotels, the inquiry has revealed.

It concluded that Kensington and Chelsea Council should have done moreto cater to people from diverse backgrounds. Many of those who lived in the tower had been observing Ramadan, but halal food was not available at all hotels, nor was it possible to observe the requirement to eat at set times.

The Independent’s Race Correspondent Nadine White reports:

Grenfell: Muslim survivors denied halal food while being rehoused, inquiry finds

Breaking: 70 firefighters tackle blaze in high rise in Catford on day Grenfell report released

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Around 70 firefighters are tackling a blaze at two flats on the ninth and 10th floors of a tower block in Catford, south-east London, London Fire Brigade (LFB) said.

An LFB statement said: “Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters are tackling a fire at a block of flats on Rosenthal Road in Catford.

“Two flats on the ninth and 10th floors of the building are currently alight.

“The brigade’s 999 control officers have taken almost 50 calls to the blaze.

“The brigade was called at 12.51pm. Fire crews from Forest Hill, Greenwich, Deptford, Lee Green and surrounding fire stations are at the scene.

“The cause of the fire is not known at this time.”

Watch: Grenfell inquiry panel member cries reading out damning report on 2017 fire

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Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey calls for new laws in light of findings

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Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey called for legislation on a duty of candour for public officials to be brought forward in light of the findings in the Grenfell Tower report.

He said: “We must tackle the big, systemic issues that come up time and again in scandals like this, from Hillsborough to Horizon to infected blood.

“Like other scandal victims, the bereaved and survivors of Grenfell have called for a duty of candour on public officials, and we welcomed its inclusion in the King’s Speech.

“So can the Prime Minister tell us when that legislation will be published and whether the duty will cover all public officials?”

Sir Keir Starmer replied in the Commons: “This duty of candour is very, very important, and we’ll look again at it in light of this report, but we’re determined to bring forward that legislation as quickly as we can.

“It’s long overdue, but I do think, having looked at some of the report already, that it’s worth reflecting and making sure what’s in the report is incorporated into whatever law that we do bring forward.”

Keir Starmer’s emotional response as he reveals he made a private visit to Grenfell two weeks ago

13:31 , Athena Stavrou

The PM told MPs that two weeks ago he made a private visit to Grenfell Tower, where he laid a wreath and affirmed the government’s commitment to deliver a permanent memorial on the site through a process led by the Grenfell community.

He also spoke movingly of how he felt while there. He said: “As I walked down that narrow staircase from the 23rd floor and looked at walls burned by 1000-degree heat, I got just a sense of how utterly, utterly terrifying it must have been. And as I saw examples of the cladding on the outside of the building, and listened to descriptions of the catastrophic and completely avoidable failures of that fatal refurbishment, I felt just a sense of the anger that now rises through that building.

“And it left me a with a profound and very personal determination to make the legacy of Grenfell Tower…one of the defining changes to our country that I want to make as Prime Minister.”

Grenfell Tower victims: where they were found

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Rishi Sunak apologises to Grenfell Tower victims

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The Grenfell Inquiry report is “a damning indictment of over 30 years of successive state failures”, former prime minister Rishi Sunak told the House of Commons.

Responding to Sir Keir Starmer’s statement on the 2017 residential tower block fire in west London and inquiry report, Mr Sunak said: “Whilst the Grenfell community’s loss will have left a hole nothing will ever be able to fill, I hope that whatever healing is possible from today, that each and every one of them takes some small measure of it.

“I know they will never forget the 72 people who tragically lost their lives, and nor shall we.

“Today’s publication, as the Prime Minister said, is to put it bluntly, a damning indictment of over 30 years of successive state failures, stretching as far back as Knowsley Heights in 1991 and then multiple incidents from there.

“Sir Martin Moore-Bick and the work of the inquiry have painted a picture of systemic indifference, failure and in some notable cases, dishonesty and greed.”

Black Lives Matter UK respond to final Grenfell report

13:17 , Athena Stavrou

Black Lives Matter UK have said the failure to deliver justice following the Grenfell Tower fire “is nothing short of a tragedy”.

“The treatment of the victims of Grenfell, their families, and the wider impacted community has been shameful,” they told The Independent’s Race Correspondent Nadine White, responding to the publication of the final report on the fire which killed 72 people.

“The report confirms what we already know—that we live in a society where a hierarchy of human worth is premised upon the colour of your skin, and where ease in accessing basic social goods such as decent housing is determined by your class and race.

“The fire was a horrific tragedy that will forever be etched into the minds of migrant communities in Britain. It symbolises exploitation, institutional racism and state abandonment.

“The lack of support, the mistreatment of victims, and the failure to deliver justice is nothing short of a travesty. Corporations that cut corners and the authorities that abandoned their responsibilities must not be allowed to evade accountability.”

Grenfell tragedy ‘marred at every point by structural and direct racism'

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The Independent’s Race Correspondent Nadine White reports:

The UK’s leading independent race equality think tank has said the Grenfell Tower tragedy was “preventable” and “marred at every point by structural and direct racism”.

Dr Shabna Begum, CEO of the Runnymede Trust told The Independent: “The Grenfell fire was a preventable tragedy, marred at every point by structural and direct racism - from those who were killed, to the treatment of survivors, the bereaved, and the wider community, as the latest report from the Inquiry confirms.

“Seven years since, there is still no justice for the victims and thousands of unsafe buildings still stand across the country. Unless urgent and sufficient action is taken, it is a matter of time until a tragedy of the same scale will happen again.

“In March 2023, Mizanur Rahman died after a fire tore through the two-bedroom flat he shared with at least 17 other men. And in December 2020, two-year-old Awaab Ishak died of respiratory failure caused by the black mould in his home.

“People of colour are feeling the harshest impacts of the housing crisis, disproportionately live in unsafe and unsuitable homes, and are often funnelled into the poorest quality and least desirable social housing. As a bare minimum, everyone should have access to safe, suitable, affordable housing.”

Community won’t let fight for justice ‘rumble on like Hillsborough’, Grenfell United chair says

13:05 , Athena Stavrou

The Independent’s Andy Gregory reports from Dorland House:

Asked about the prospect of criminal charges, Natasha Elcock, chair of Grenfell United, told The Independent: “Our fate will always be in someone else’s hands and it has been for the last seven years.

“So the most we can hope for at this point today is that the report and the government bring about systematic change. The Met Police and the CPS have explained that they need the report to cross-reference and ensure that they’ve got what they need in order to bring prosecutions. For us, that is the ultimate justice.”

Ms Elcock added: “I think we were under no illusions from as early as 2018 that this was going to be a 10 year process, but what we won’t allow to happen as a community is this to rumble on like Hillsborough and other injustices that we’ve seen in this country.

“So the message really to the Met is: ‘We are relying on you to ensure that the investigation is thorough and that every single person that is culpable for the deaths of our loved ones is held to account.’”

Pictured: Survivors and bereaved comfort each other after report publication

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Companies involved in Grenfell to be stopped from getting government contracts, PM suggests

12:52 , Athena Stavrou

Sir Keir Starmer has suggested all companies found to have been involved in the Grenfell Tower tragedy will be stopped from getting future government contracts.

Following the publication of the final report, the prime minister told MPs in parliament the government “will today write to all companies found to have failings as a first step to stop them being awarded government contracts”.

Earlier, Grenfell United, which represents some of the bereaved and survivors of the fire, have called the government to ban cladding firm Arconic and insulation firms Kingspan and Celotex from government procurement processes.

Sir Keir also said the removal of dangerous cladding is being addressed too slowly – and pledged that government will speed it up.

Starmer giving statement on Grenfell report

12:44 , Athena Stavrou

Sir Keir Starmer is giving a statement in parliament following the publication of the final report on the Grenfell Inquiry.

“I want to say very clearly on behalf of the country – you have been let down so badly, before during and in the aftermath of this tragedy,” he said, apologising on behalf of the British state to all of the families affected.

He told MPs that “today is a day of truth that must now lead to a day of justice”.

Theresa May, PM at time of Grenfell tragedy, says all must ‘acknowledge their part in the history’

12:37 , Athena Stavrou

Theresa May, who was prime minister at the time of the Grenfell Tower disaster in 2017, has said all involved “must all acknowledge their part in the history and series of events that led to this tragedy”.

May has been criticised for her response to the fire, which claimed the lives of 72 people, as she failed to meet survivors on a visit to the site on the day after the fire. She has since expressed regret over this decision.

“Government, national and local, regulators and the corporate industry must all acknowledge their part in the history and series of events that led to this tragedy – a tragedy that, in the words of Sir Martin, did not ‘come out of the blue’,” she said in a statement.

Survivor says report ‘pointing in right direction'

12:34 , Athena Stavrou

The Independent’s Holly Evans reports from Dorland House:

Speaking to The Independent, survivor Tiago Alves said that the report was “pointing in the right direction”, and said this was a step closer for Grenfell residents and families to achieve criminal justice.

He had been on the 13th floor when the fire broke out, and survived after his father insisted they evacuate the building, despite the stay put policy being in place.

“It’s been a long time to wait for the report to come out, I’ve had the opportunity to read some of it.,” he said. “The biggest takeaways from the panel is that they did follow the evidence very well, I think a lot of it is pointing in the right direction.

“The recommendations, we agree with most of them. The push to remove the regulator from being a private entity outside is a good step forward, we have always been calling for a national oversight mechanism. I hope these changes get implemented quite quickly by the government.

“Also, I think it goes hard on RBKC and the TMO as well as the other corporations. I think it paints a good picture of what the problems were leading up to the fire and also what happened after the fire and their response.

“At the end of the day, we need to remember that all of these problems could have been avoided, Kingspan, Celotex and Arconic led the way in allowing these kinds of materials to be put on buildings so I think the report really goes hard on them.

“It makes sure that we understand they are fully responsible and criminal prosecutions need to come later in the future. Hopefully when the CPS and the police have collated all of this information, we will be able to move forward and for us to get the criminal justice we need.”

Dishonesty of construction industry fuelled tragedy

12:27 , Athena Stavrou

Grenfell Tower was covered in flammable materials because of “systematic dishonesty” from those who made and sold cladding and insulation, the final report has concluded.

The inquiry found there had been a “deliberate and sustained” manipulation of fire-safety testing and data by a number of companies such as Arcon and insulation firms Kingspan and Celotex.

Arconic Architectural Products made and sold the Reynobond 55 cladding panels with a polyethylene (PE) core which were used in the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower and were later found to have fuelled the blaze.

By summer 2011, Arconic was “well aware that Reynobond 55 PE cassette form performed much worse in a fire and was considerably more dangerous than in riveted form” but was “determined to exploit what it saw as weak regulatory regimes in certain countries (including the UK) to sell it in cassette form “including for use on residential buildings”.

Celotex was the manufacturer of the majority of the insulation boards used in the refurbishment. Its Rs5000 was one of the insulation components used in the Grenfell Tower rainscreen cladding system and its TB4000 insulation was used to fill gaps in the window surrounds during the refurbishment of the tower.

The inquiry’s final report concluded that it had “embarked on a dishonest scheme to mislead its customers and the wider market” in an attempt to break into a market which had been dominated by Kingspan.

Kingspan has long said its K15 insulation product made up 5% of the insulation in the tower block and was used without its knowledge. But the report found that Kingspan “knowingly created a “false market in insulation” from 2005 onwards for use on buildings over 18 metres tall by claiming its K15 product had been part of a system that had been successfully tested under the BS 8414 cladding fire safety test, meaning it could be used in the wall of any building of that height regardless of its design or other components.

Rydon was appointed in 2014 as the design and build contractor for the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower. Along with architect Studio E it was deemed to have taken “a casual approach to contractual relations”.

Watch: Architect on Grenfell inquiry panel cries reading out damning final report

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Starmer opens PMQs with tribute to Grenfell

12:16 , Athena Stavrou

Sir Keir Starmer opened Prime Minister’s Questions with a tribute to the bereaved and survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire.

At the despatch box, the Prime Minister said: “The chair of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, has today published the inquiry’s phase two report.

“And I know that the whole House – the thoughts of the House – will be with the bereaved and the survivors of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, and the residents in the immediate community.”

Sir Keir said he would make a statement in the House of Commons after PMQs.

Full story: Grenfell Tower fire was result of decades of institutional failings, damning final report finds

12:14 , Athena Stavrou

The tragic fire at Grenfell Tower that claimed the lives of 72 people was the culmination of decades of failure by successive governments and the construction industry, the damning final report has found.

The west London tower block was covered in combustible products because of the “systematic dishonesty” of firms who made and sold the cladding and insulation, inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick said on Wednesday. He called out “deliberate and sustained” manipulation of fire-safety testing, misrepresentation of test data and misleading of the market.

The long-running inquiry into how the west London tower block became rapidly engulfed in flames found that manufacturers had engaged in “systematic dishonesty” which led the 24-storey building to be clad in combustible materials. 

Read the full story from The Independent’s Holly Evans here:

Grenfell fire that killed 72 was result of decades of failings, damning report finds

Grenfell survivors speak at conclusion of report

12:09 , Athena Stavrou

The Independent’s Holly Evans reports from Dorland House:

Speaking outside Dorland House in west London, Natasha Elcock, the chairman for the Grenfell United group, has issued a damning statement responding to the report’s findings.

She says today has been the conclusion of a painful process, which speaks to a lack of competence, understanding and a “fundamental failure of the most basic duties of care”. She points to the inquiry’s finding that every death was “avoidable” and that the bereaved had lost their loved ones in “the most horrific way”.

The group also blames the “greed of an industry” that has been badly regulated by successive governments, which she says were warned about the risks of dangerous cladding as far back as 1991.

She urged Sir Keir Starmer to “break the bad habits” and called on the CPS and the Metropolitan Police to deliver justice.

Bereaved families pay tribute to lost loved ones

11:55 , Athena Stavrou

The survivors and bereaved families of the Grenfell Tower fire have given a statement following the publication of the final report.

A spokesperson told reporters in Paddington: “Today marks the conclusion of a painful six years listening to the evidence of the deaths of 54 adults and 18 children, our loved ones, neighbours and friends.”

The group, Grenfell United, have called the government to ban Cladding firm Arconic and insulation firms Kingspan and Celotex and Rydon from central or local government procurement processes.

They added that they “have an expectation that the Met Police and the CPS ensure that those who are truly responsible are held to account and brought to justice.”

Grenfell survivors and bereaved families giving statement

11:52 , Athena Stavrou

Inquiry chair ends statement with names of 72 who lost their lives

11:45 , Athena Stavrou

Closing his statement, the chair of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Sir Martin Moore-Bick read out the names of the 72 people who lost their lives, saying: “We should all remember that the Grenfell Tower was and remains an intensely personal tragedy for all those who lived in and around the tower, and above all, for those who died their families and friends. We invite you therefore to join us in remembering them while I read out their names.”

Decisions on criminal prosecutions not expected until 2026

11:41 , Athena Stavrou

Decisions on potential criminal prosecutions over the Grenfell Tower fire are not expected for another two years, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has said.

Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS special crime and counter-terrorism division, said: “Our thoughts remain with the bereaved families and the survivors at what must be an extremely difficult time.

“We have been working closely with the Metropolitan Police Service throughout their investigation and will therefore be in a strong position to review the completed evidential file, which they anticipate will be passed to us in 2026.

“Our team of specialist prosecutors will then carefully review the file but do not expect to be in a position to make any charging decisions until the end of 2026.

“Due to the sheer volume of evidence and complexity of the investigation, we will need to take the necessary time to thoroughly evaluate the evidence before providing final charging decisions.”

Inquiry chair says council ‘manipulated process’ to choose architect with ‘no experience’ of high-rise cladding

11:37 , Athena Stavrou

The Grengell inquiry’s chairman has said that the council’s tenant management organisation (TMO) had manipulated the process of choosing an architect for the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower, in order to choose Studio E.

Sir Martin said the firm had “no experience” of installing cladding on high-rise buildings, and that everyone involved had an “unacceptably casual approach to contractual relations”.

No employees working on the project understood the industry guidance or building regulations, and a final safety report was not procured.

Appalling treatment of Muslim Grenfell survivors a ‘stark reminder’ of ‘the way the most vulnerable in our society are treated’

11:32 , Athena Stavrou

The final report of the Grenfell inquiry has highlighted the appalling treatment of Muslim residents in the aftermath of the fatal blaze.

The report found the response of the government and local council was “muddled, slow, indecisive and piecemeal”, with little done to cater to people from diverse backgrounds, such as providing halal food for Muslims observing Ramadan.

Zara Mohammed, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, told The Independent: “It is deeply troubling to learn that many Grenfell Tower residents observing Ramadan were not provided with adequate support in all hotels, provision for halal food was lacking nor given the opportunity to eat at the set times required for fasting.

“The treatment of minority and faith communities by the council highlights wider structural and systemic issues that must be tackled.

“Grenfell remains a stark reminder and trauma for so many, not just the fire but for the way the most vulnerable in our society are treated.

“Much must be learned now, and for those who have been waiting for justice, meaningful change is essential.”

Sadiq Khan says Grenfell residents ‘paid a price for systemic dishonesty and corporate greed’

11:23 , Athena Stavrou

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the residents of Grenfell Tower “paid a price for systemic dishonesty, corporate greed and institutional indifference and neglect”.

He said firms held responsible by the inquiry should be banned from receiving public contracts, and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) should look into bringing criminal cases.

Mr Khan said: “The Grenfell Tower fire isn’t just a heart-breaking tragedy, it’s a horrific injustice and a national disgrace. That the lives of 72 Londoners were stolen from us in such circumstances is a moral outrage.

“The inquiry makes clear in stark terms that all these deaths were entirely avoidable, and that the residents of Grenfell Tower have paid the price for systematic dishonesty, corporate greed and institutional indifference and neglect.”

He said “profit has been put before people” which “isn’t just shameful, it’s utterly indefensible”.

Mr Khan added that “more must now be done to hold those responsible to account, including banning any of the companies held responsible by the inquiry from receiving any public contracts as the police and CPS look into bringing criminal prosecutions”.

Fire Brigades Union calls for government to go further than report recommendations

11:21 , Athena Stavrou

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) called for the Government to go further than the recommendations in the Grenfell Tower report, ensuring deregulation is “comprehensively reversed”.

General secretary Matt Wrack said: “The FBU has always argued that the fire was the result of decades of failure by central government to regulate the building industry – the prioritisation of private profit over human life.

“This report completely vindicates that position, demonstrating beyond doubt that an agenda of deregulation cost lives.

“Construction companies gamed the system to maximise their profits. A system of semi-privatised building control put commercial interests ahead of regulatory duties.

“Firefighters and fire control staff were put in an impossible position, forced to respond to a fire in a high rise building effectively wrapped in petrol. Again and again, residents and firefighters warned of the dangers of combustible cladding but were ignored.

“The FBU is still digesting the report’s recommendations, but the government must go further than what is set out in this report.

“The deregulation of recent decades must be comprehensively reversed. The systems for delivering building safety must be brought under public ownership and must be given the resources they need.”

London Fire Brigade responds to Grenfell report

11:19 , Athena Stavrou

The London Fire Brigade has responded to the final report of the Grenfell inquiry, which found the service ‘failed to heed warnings of high-rise fire before Grenfell’.

London Fire Brigade said it was now “better prepared” to respond to high-rise fires but would not be “complacent”.

Commissioner Andy Roe said: “On this day, our thoughts remain with the 72 people who lost their lives, the survivors, their families, and the entire Grenfell community. We must never forget the impact the tragedy has had on that community.

“On the night of the fire, the brigade faced the most formidable challenge that any fire service in the UK has confronted in living memory. Staff responding to the fire on the night of the tragedy, as well as members of other emergency services who attended in support of the brigade, showed extreme courage in the face of the most appalling of circumstances.

“In 2019, the brigade accepted every recommendation from the Phase 1 Report and we have since implemented significant changes to how we operate. This year, we completed every recommendation directed at us as part of Phase 1.

“We have introduced important policies, new equipment, improved training and better ways of working, particularly in how we respond to fires in high-rise residential buildings, and Londoners are safer as a result. This was evidenced at the awful fire in Dagenham late last month.

“While we are now better prepared to respond to high-rise fires, we are not complacent. We are in dialogue with the Government and Mayor of London as we all look at what must be done to ensure that buildings in London are safe. We will continue to collaborate with them, advocating for improved standards in the built environment to ensure greater safety.

“We recognise the importance of the inquiry’s findings and recommendations. We will set out an action plan, detailing our response to each recommendation, in due course. This will be developed following consultation and in collaboration with the Grenfell community and our Community Forum.”

Starmer says government will ‘carefully consider’ report recommendations

11:14 , Athena Stavrou

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the report from Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s Grenfell Tower inquiry identified “substantial and widespread failings”.

He said: “My thoughts today are wholly with those bereaved by, and survivors of, the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the residents in the immediate community. This day is for them.

“I hope that Sir Martin’s report can provide the truth they have sought for so long, and that it is step towards the accountability and justice they deserve.”

In a statement to Parliament, Sir Keir said: “The Government will carefully consider the report and its recommendations, to ensure that such a tragedy cannot occur again.

“I hope that those outside Government will do the same.

“Given the detailed and extensive nature of the report, a further and more in-depth debate will be held at a later date,” he added.

Inquiry chairman says all 72 deaths were avoidable

11:13 , Athena Stavrou

Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the chairman of the Grenfell inquiry, is giving a statement following the release of the final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

The former judge said all 72 deaths in the fire were avoidable and the people who lived in the west London tower were “badly failed” by authorities and the construction industry through incompetence, dishonesty and greed.

He said: “The simple truth is that the deaths that occurred were all avoidable and that those who lived in the tower were badly failed over a number of years and in a number of different ways by those who were responsible for ensuring the safety of the building and its occupants.”

He listed a number of bodies involved in the running of Grenfell, which included the Government, the tenant management organisation, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, the manufacturers of the refurbishment, the London Fire Brigade, the architect, Studio E and the principal contractor, Rydon Maintenance Ltd, among others.

Key findings of the 1,700 page report

11:05 , Athena Stavrou

• Successive governments under David Cameron and Theresa May had received numerous warnings about the dangers of certain cladding materials between 2012 and 2017 but had failed to take heed.

• Survivors felt they had been “comprehensively failed” by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council and their Tenant Management Organisation.

• Emergency accommodation plans were “inconsistent”, with families crammed into one room and residents left sleeping in cars or on the grass.

• The response of the government and local council was “muddled, slow, indecisive and piecemeal”, with little done to cater to people from diverse backgrounds, such as providing halal food for Muslims observing Ramadan.

• There had been a “persistent indifference” to fire safety at Grenfell Tower with no finalised evacuation plan.

Final report finds successive governments ignored cladding warnings

11:02 , Athena Stavrou

The long-awaited report into the tragic blaze that engulfed Grenfell Tower, claiming the lives of 72 people, has found successive governments ignored warnings about the building’s flammable cladding.

The damning report, which comes seven years after the 2017 disaster, has shone light on the failings of the government, manufacturers and the council.

The inquiry into how the blaze spread so rapidly through the west London tower block has concluded successive governments under David Cameron and Theresa May had received “numerous warnings” about the dangers of certain cladding materials between 2012 and 2017 but had failed to take heed.

Report to shine light on actions of corporate firms

10:37 , Athena Stavrou

The long-awaited final report into the  deaths of 72 people in a fire at Grenfell Tower is due to be published at 11am - more than seven years after the blaze.

The document is expected to lay out in detail its findings around the actions of corporate firms in the construction industry, the local authority, London Fire Brigade and government.

A report in 2019, from the first phase of the inquiry, concluded the tower’s cladding did not comply with building regulations and was the “principal” reason for the rapid and “profoundly shocking” spread of the blaze.

A total of 58 individuals and 19 companies and organisations are under investigation for potential criminal offences, and more than 300 hours of interviews have taken place.

Potential offences under consideration include corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, perverting the course of justice, misconduct in public office, health and safety offences, fraud and offences under the fire safety and building regulations.

Who are the core participants in the Grenfell Inquiry?

10:06 , Holly Evans

A “spider’s web of blame” was spun as organisations sought to point to others as being at fault over the 2017 fire, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry heard.

Lead counsel Richard Millett KC described how a “merry−go−round of buck−passing” had prevailed throughout the hearings.

They include the manufacturing companies Kingspan, whose K15 insulation product made up 5 per cent of the insulation in the tower block, and Celotex, the manufacturer of the majority of the insulation boards used in the refurbishment.

Arconic supplied the Reynobond 55 cladding panels, which the phase one report in 2019 concluded had fuelled the blaze, while the design and build contractor Rydon had been responsible for the refurbishment.

Chairman of the Grenfell inquiry arrives ahead of statement

09:46 , Holly Evans

Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the chairman of the Grenfell inquiry, has arrived at Dorland House in Paddington, central London, ahead of the final inquiry report publication.

The former judge is due to give a statement following the release of the report at 11am, followed by statements from survivors and family members of the deceased.

Also involved in the report were the panel members Thouria Istephan, an architect and health and safety expert, and Ali Akbor, an expert in the housing sector.

Tower blocks around country still at risk of Grenfell-style tragedy, says firefighters’ union chief

09:24 , Holly Evans

Seven years after the Grenfell Tower disaster claimed the lives of 72 people, the country risks witnessing a similar tragedy, the head of the firefighters’ union has warned.

With the final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry set to be published on 4 September, Fire Brigades Union (FBU) chief Matt Wrack has expressed deep concern over the lack of progress in addressing fire safety and building regulations.

He criticised the government, claiming it has failed to address the ongoing cladding crisis and implement substantial fire safety reforms.

Read the full article here:

Tower blocks around country still at risk of Grenfell-style tragedy, says FBU chief

Survivors and families may have to wait until 2026 for any criminal charges

09:08 , Holly Evans

In May, the Metropolitan Police said their investigators need until the end of 2025 to finalise their inquiry, and prosecutors will then need a year to decide whether charges can be brought.

Bereaved and survivors have described that wait, which could stretch to a decade after the catastrophic fire, as “unbearable”.

According to the update from police and prosecutors earlier this year, the mammoth police investigation into the fire has already generated 27,000 lines of inquiry and more than 12,000 witness statements.

A total of 58 individuals and 19 companies and organisations are under investigation for potential criminal offences, and more than 300 hours of interviews have taken place.

Potential offences under consideration include corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, perverting the course of justice, misconduct in public office, health and safety offences, fraud and offences under the fire safety and building regulations.

The moment the fire broke out

08:53 , Holly Evans

It was at 00.50am when a resident at Grenfell Tower realised that a fire had broken out in the 24-storey building.

Uber driver Behailu Kebede heard a smoke alarm going off, and discovered that the back of a large fridge-freezer in the kitchen of Flat 16 was on fire, and smoke was rising to the window.

He called 999 and said told the London Fire Brigade: “Flat 16, Grenfell Tower. In the fridge. It’s the fourth floor. Quick, quick, quick. It’s burning!”.

He then wakes his fourth floor neighbours and leaves the tower, with the first four fire engines arriving at the scene at 00.59am.

Report comes one week after non-fatal fire in Dagenham

08:36 , Holly Evans

The report comes just over a week after a major fire in east London at a block which had been undergoing work to have cladding removed as a result of what happened at Grenfell.

The non-fatal Dagenham blaze, coming so many years after the 2017 fire, prompted fierce criticism from various quarters including bereaved and survivors group Grenfell United, which said it showed the “painfully slow progress of remediation across the country, and a lack of urgency for building safety as a whole”.

Dame Judith Hackitt, who led an independent review into building regulations after the Grenfell fire, described it as “really concerning” that so many people are still living in uncertainty and fear about the safety of their homes.

Number 10 said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had, at Tuesday’s Cabinet, said the Dagenham fire was a further reminder of the importance of learning lessons from Grenfell to ensure mistakes made then never happen again.

‘Cataclysmic failings’ in Grenfell, firefighter says

08:21 , Alexander Butler

A firefighter involved in tackling the Grenfell Tower blaze said there were a “cataclysmic series of failings” in the building.

Ricky Nuttall, who was forced to abandon an attempt to rescue a resident from the 15th floor, defended the “stay put” advice initially given to people in the building, saying firefighters were unaware of the state of the tower.

“The idea of a ‘stay put’ policy is, its principles are founded on a building working as it should,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today.

“At the time, as a firefighter on the ground, we had no idea that the building wasn’t built as it should be, that areas were compromised and that fire doors weren’t fitted.

“[We didn’t know] that smoke vents wouldn’t open, that the outside of the building was effectively covered in petrol, a flammable material that’s going to burn rapidly, window sills weren’t fitted correctly.

“There were a cataclysmic list of failings with the building, and none of that information was available to us at the time.”

Grenfell: What you need to know as final report is released

08:19 , Alexander Butler

Grenfell: What you need to know as final report is released

‘It’s not fair. I don’t want to die’, victim told mother in final moments

08:09 , Alexander Butler

Victim Gloria Trevisan, who lived on the 23rd floor with her boyfriend Marco Gottardi, 27, spent her final moments on the phone to her mother.

She told her: “I had my whole life ahead of me. It’s not fair. I don’t want to die.”

The pair had moved to London from Venice around for months before the fire to look for jobs after graduating from the University of Padua.

Five-year-old’s body was discovered five levels below where he lived

08:00 , Alexander Butler

One victim, five-year-old Isaac Paulos, was discovered five levels below the flat where he lived with his family after he became separated from them during the fire.

His father said: “My son was beautiful, a little boy with so much potential. I will never forget Isaac’s big, beautiful eyes, his calm look.”

Watch: Silence held for 72 seconds during Notting Hill Carnival in remembrance of Grenfell

07:49 , Alexander Butler

Who were the victims of the fire?

07:39 , Alexander Butler

Zainab Deen, 32, and her two-year-old son lived on the 14th floor of the tower blocked and were killed in the fire in 2017.

Ms Deen was on the phone with her brother until 4am on the day of the fire. Her family said: “Zainab had it all; she was beautiful, smart, warm, caring and a confident and outgoing young woman.”

Of her son Jeremiah, they said: “He was loving, full of life, liked playing football and loved exploring and adventuring.”

Final Grenfell Tower report to be published seven years after fire

07:28 , Alexander Butler

A long-awaited report into the deaths of 72 people in a fire at Grenfell Tower is due to be published more than seven years after the blaze.

The lengthy document - the final report of the inquiry into the 2017 disaster - is expected to lay out in detail its findings around the actions of corporate firms in the construction industry, the local authority, London Fire Brigade and government.

Families of those killed have insisted it must be a “landmark report” which prompts widescale change after what was described as a “spider’s web of blame” was spun during inquiry hearings.

Who were the victims of the fire?

07:25 , Alexander Butler

The Grenfell disaster claimed the lives of 72 people. Each one somebody’s father, mother, brother, sister, relative, friend or neighbour, they ranged in age from an unborn baby to an 84-year-old woman.

During seven days of commemorations during the first phase of the public inquiry into the fire, tributes were paid to most of the victims.

Some of their stories are below.

Anthony “Tony” Disson, 65

The 65-year-old retired lorry driver had lived on the 10th floor of Grenfell Tower for eight years.

In a statement, his son Lee said: “He was a very special person and I would like him to be remembered for who he was when he was alive.

“He was always there to help anyone, no matter who you were or where you came from.”

Ali Yawar Jafari, 82

Mr Jafari lived on the 10th floor and tried to escape the tower with his wife and daughter when the fire broke out.

They got in a lift but Mr Jafari got out after suffering breathing problems. He was later pulled out by firefighters but was pronounced dead at the scene.

His son Hamid Ali Jafari said in a video tribute: “I think the happiest moment he had was when my son was born, because he was attached to him a lot.”

No justice without people behind bars, says 12-year-old Grenfell victim’s aunt

07:16 , Alexander Butler

Those who put profit above people’s lives must end up behind bars for justice to be served, the aunt of a child killed in the Grenfell Tower fire has said.

Sandra Ruiz said lives had been “shattered” by the 2017 blaze, with her 12-year-old niece Jessica Urbano Ramirez among the 72 people killed.

Ms Ruiz said people must be held to account and that the only justice she can accept is seeing perpetrators jailed for their roles in what happened.

No justice without people behind bars, says 12-year-old Grenfell victim’s aunt

‘Grenfell is a warning to the world’: The survivors still searching for justice

07:06 , Nadine White

It was payday – Emma Louise O’Connor and her partner Luke had treated themselves to a pizza and gone to bed in their 20th-floor flat, only to be awoken by a fire alarm in the early hours. The date was 14 June 2017 and, 16 floors below Emma’s home atGrenfell, a fridge-freezer in Flat 16 had caught ablaze.

At 1.21am – less than 40 minutes after the fire began – Emma, who has mobility issues, and her partner managed to leave the building, taking a smoke-filled lift down to the ground floor. They had escaped just before the blaze took hold across the tower block, engulfing the flammable cladding, in a tragedy that killed 72.

“I went into shock,” says Emma. “I remember being dragged away from the scene by my partner who took me to my mum’s nearby. Looking at the building burning, I couldn’t actually believe what I was watching.”

‘Grenfell is a warning to the world’: The survivors still searching for justice

Police investigation

07:01 , Chris Stevenson

The report's findings could ramp up pressure on police and prosecutors to make speedier progress on getting people before the courts - something many bereaved and survivors have said must happen for justice to be served.

In May, the Metropolitan Police said their investigators need until the end of 2025 to finalise their inquiry, and prosecutors will then need a year to decide whether charges can be brought.

Bereaved and survivors have described that wait, which could stretch to a decade after the catastrophic fire, as "unbearable".

According to the update from police and prosecutors earlier this year, the mammoth police investigation into the fire has already generated 27,000 lines of inquiry and more than 12,000 witness statements.

A total of 58 individuals and 19 companies and organisations are under investigation for potential criminal offences, and more than 300 hours of interviews have taken place.

Potential offences under consideration include corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, perverting the course of justice, misconduct in public office, health and safety offences, fraud and offences under the fire safety and building regulations.

How the Grenfell inquiry happened

06:48 , Tom Watling

The long-running inquiry’s second report into the Grenfell Tower fire will present findings today on how the west London tower block came to be in a condition which allowed the flames to spread so quickly, claiming the lives of 72 people.

The report into phase one, published in October 2019, concluded the tower’s cladding did not comply with building regulations and was the “principal” reason for the rapid and “profoundly shocking” spread of the blaze.

It is expected inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick and his two panel members will now go on to lay out their detailed findings regarding the actions of corporate firms in the construction industry, the local authority, London Fire Brigade and the government.

The final hearing of the second phase of the inquiry took place in November 2022 and families have previously spoken of their long wait and continued fight for justice.

Dagenham fire

06:39 , Chris Stevenson

The report comes just over a week after a major fire in east London at a block which had been undergoing work to have cladding removed as a result of what happened at Grenfell.

The non-fatal Dagenham blaze, coming so many years after the 2017 fire, prompted fierce criticism from various quarters including bereaved and survivors group Grenfell United, which said it showed the "painfully slow progress of remediation across the country, and a lack of urgency for building safety as a whole".

Dame Judith Hackitt, who led an independent review into building regulations after the Grenfell fire, described it as "really concerning" that so many people are still living in uncertainty and fear about the safety of their homes.

Dowing Street said prime minister Sir Keir Starmer had, at Tuesday's Cabinet, said the Dagenham fire was a further reminder of the importance of learning lessons from Grenfell to ensure mistakes made then never happen again.

The tragedy of Grenfell and the fight for justice - in pictures

06:30 , Tom Watling

Below, we have compiled some pictures from throughout the last seven years since Grenfell Tower caught on fire, claiming the lives of 72 people.

Since then, residents and relatives have fought for justice in what they believe was the prioritisation of profit over people.

Aunty of Grenfell victim says final report must be ‘landmark’

06:15 , Tom Watling

Sandra Ruiz, whose 12-year-old niece Jessica Urbano Ramirez died in the fire, said this final publication must be a “landmark report”, which prompts “cultural, institutional and legislative change”.

She said there is “a bit of trepidation” that the report “may not cover everything that we hope for”, but added there is “a lot of hopefulness” given how “hard-hitting” the first report was.

The report needs to bring about “a tide change” in how organisations, government and local authorities are governed and managed, she said, “because we’ve seen all too often” how people have “completely sidestepped their areas of responsibility”.

She added: “We can’t allow that to happen. Unfortunately this country’s governance is broken at the moment. This report needs to change that.”

Good morning

06:00 , Tom Watling

Good morning.

Here we will be bringing you coverage of the final report in the long-running inquiry into the fire that engulfed Grenfell Tower.