Tower block cladding: All material tested so far has failed

All the cladding on high-rise buildings judged to be potentially at risk has failed Government combustability tests, it has emerged.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said 34 buildings in 17 local authority areas are so far affected but tests in other areas are ongoing.

The Building Research Establishment (BRE) is "running around the clock" to test cladding on other buildings, he added.

If needed, Mr Javid said, the BRE can test up to 100 samples a day.

He said: "The landlords for all the affected buildings are taking action to inform tenants and implement the interim safety measures needed.

"Areas affected include the city of Manchester, Camden, Plymouth, Hounslow, Portsmouth, Barnet and Brent.

"The fact that all samples so far have failed the tests underlines the value of the testing programme we have set up with the Building Research Establishment to get samples checked properly in the laboratories.

"It is therefore very important for local authorities and housing associations to continue to submit such samples as a matter of urgency."

Mr Javid stressed that buildings which are found to have unsafe cladding may not necessarily have to be evacuated.

He said the decision to evacuate four towers on the Chalcots Estate in Camden, north London, was taken because a failed cladding test had been "compounded by multiple other fire safety failures".

Muhammed Butt, the leader of north London's Brent Council, told Sky News the high-rise block in his area that failed has been checked by the fire service and evacuation was not deemed necessary.

Cladding has been removed on two Portsmouth tower blocks after being found to be a fire risk, although local officials insisted the buildings were still safe for residents to stay in.

The Local Government Association said: "For those areas still waiting for results of tests on aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding, our advice to them is to prepare contingency plans so they can take any measures needed quickly."

The Prime Minister said it is possible for some councils to take "mitigating action" on tower blocks, but in other cases it had been necessary to move people out.

Theresa May added that the Government would ensure councils take "immediate action" over the failed tests, adding: "Absolutely our first priority is people's safety".

In a statement, Mr Corbyn, who appeared at Glastonbury Festival, said: "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."

The Liberal Democrats demanded the Government declare a civil emergency, create a fund to compensate those evacuated and guarantee anyone told to leave their properties they won't have to pay council tax until they return.

It comes as the manufacturer of the insulation used to clad Grenfell Tower said they would stop using the product on high-rise buildings.

Celotex, which makes the RS5000 insulation boards in the tower's rainscreen cladding, insisted no building over 18m tall would be fitted with the material.

At least 79 people are feared to have died after the west London tower block was engulfed by a huge fire 10 days ago.

Six people are still being treated by three London hospitals following the disaster, with two in critical care, NHS England said.

Along with local councils, NHS Trusts have also been told to urgently check their buildings to establish whether they are clad in materials used on Grenfell Tower.