'We must acknowledge part we played in tragedy' - May

Baroness Theresa May, who was prime minister at the time of the Grenfell Tower fire, has warned that all those in authority must accept their responsibility for the tragedy.

- DAVID MADDOX

She added her voice to those calling for justice as prime minister Sir Keir Starmer apologised on behalf of the state for the events that led to the deaths of 54 adults and 18 children in 2017.

“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,” she said.

Rishi Sunak added that the report was “a damning indictment” of 30 years of failure.

He added: “The state let you down and that must never happen again.”

With thousands of buildings still covered in the lethal cladding responsible for the rapid spread of the blaze, politicians admitted remedial work needs to be completed more urgently.

Sir Keir acknowledged to the victims' families: “I want to say you have been let down so badly before, during and after this tragedy.”