Grenfell families must wait until 2026 for ‘crooks and killers’ to face justice

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The families of Grenfell Tower victims will be waiting until 2026 for the “crooks and killers” responsible for the fire to face justice, prosecutors have said.
On Wednesday, the seven-year public inquiry concluded that the fire was caused by the “systematic dishonesty” of the companies that manufactured cladding for the tower’s botched refurbishment and that the 72 deaths were “all avoidable”.
But families demanding manslaughter prosecutions spoke of their outrage after Scotland Yard said it would take between a year and 18 months to go through the inquiry report “line by line”, meaning charges, if any, are unlikely to be brought until almost a full decade after the fire.
The final Grenfell Inquiry report, which stretches to more than a million words, also placed the blame for the disaster on “decades of failure” by government ministers and officials who ignored a series of warnings over the risk of cladding fires.
Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the inquiry’s chairman, said in a statement: “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.”
The report prompted demands for those identified in the report to face manslaughter charges as well as calls for the Government to exert proper control over the construction sector.
Grenfell United, a group representing survivors, said: “The Government must now exert control over the sector to prevent further dismantling of public safety, which used to be understood as their primary job, not aiding and abetting crooks and killers.
“We were failed in most cases by incompetence and in many cases by calculated dishonesty and greed.”
In a harrowing press conference organised by Grenfell Next of Kin, another group representing grieving relatives, the bereaved demanded that those responsible be charged with manslaughter. 
They said the inquiry, which cost £170 million, had got in the way of possible prosecutions over the tower block inferno in west London on June 14 2017.
Hisam Choucair, who lost six members of his family, said: “This inquiry was forced on us. It’s delayed the justice my family deserves.”
Karim Khalloufi, whose sister Khadija died, said: “No one has asked me if I wanted this inquiry… Maybe I will die without having justice.”
Francis Dean, a surveyor, criticised the “seven-year delay to justice”, saying: “Since that night I’ve not been the same person, I’m messed up.
“The government at the time promised us justice. I hope this current Government can take up the lead.”
Nazanin Aghlani, who lost her mother and her aunt, told The Telegraph: “Unless there’s manslaughter prosecutions with people going to prison, there’s no closure.”
However, the Metropolitan Police admitted it would take at least 12 months to read through the seven-volume report before the Crown Prosecution Service could even consider charges.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said: “To secure justice for those who died and all those affected by the fire we must examine the report – line by line – alongside the evidence from the criminal investigation. As I said previously, this will take us at least 12-18 months.”
He added: “I can’t pretend to imagine the impact of such a long police investigation on the bereaved and survivors, but we have one chance to get our investigation right.”
The CPS admitted it would now take at least two years before it decides what charges – if any – should be brought.
Frank Ferguson, the head of the CPS special crime and counter-terrorism division, said he did not expect “any charging decisions until the end of 2026”, adding: “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.”
In his report, Sir Martin exposed the cosy relationship between regulators and building companies that had allowed highly combustible materials to be installed on high-rise blocks.
“One very significant reason why Grenfell Tower came to be clad in combustible materials was systematic dishonesty on the part of those who made and sold the rain-screen cladding panels and insulation products,” he said.
“They engaged in deliberate and sustained strategies to manipulate the testing processes, misrepresent test data and mislead the market.”
The report said that the Local Authority Building Control, which oversees building regulations, had become “the victim of dishonest behaviour on the part of unscrupulous manufacturers”.
Among the firms heavily criticised were Arconic, which made the combustible aluminium composite material that was used in the refurbishment of Grenfell just a year before the fire broke out, as well as Celotex and Kingspan, which manufactured the insulation.
Sir Martin found the “choice of combustible materials for the cladding of Grenfell Tower resulted from a series of errors caused by the incompetence of the organisations and individuals involved in the refurbishment”.
He also singled out the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, its tenant management company and central government for a litany of failures. The project’s architects, he added, had “a cavalier attitude” to fire safety regulations.
The London Fire Brigade was also branded “complacent” with “shortcomings in its ability to fight fires in high rise buildings”.
Sir Keir Starmer issued an apology on behalf of the British state for the myriad failures identified by the public inquiry.
The Prime Minister said in a Commons statement watched by Grenfell survivors and bereaved: “It should never have happened. The country failed to discharge its most fundamental duty, to protect you and your loved ones, the people that we are here to serve, and I am deeply sorry.”
Sir Keir signalled his support for growing calls for the companies implicated in the disaster to be banned from receiving government contracts in the future. He said it was “imperative that there is full accountability, including through the criminal justice process, and that this happens as swiftly as possible”.
Reflecting on a private visit to Grenfell Tower he made two weeks ago, the Prime Minister said it had left him with a “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”.
It is understood that no decision has been made regarding the future of the tower, which comes under the remit of housing secretary Angela Rayner. The cost of preserving the burnt-out ruins and planning a memorial is set to exceed a third of a billion pounds.
Thank you for following as we reported on the final public inquiry report into the Grenfell fire.
The report found the Grenfell fire was caused by the “systematic dishonesty” of construction companies that manufactured cladding for the tower block’s refurbishment.
You can read our full report here.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has called for “deep reflection and meaningful change” after the report.
He described it as “chilling to read that systematic dishonesty and a refusal to listen to concerns were in part to blame for Grenfell Tower becoming a death trap”.
He added: “This tragedy shows us that we must cherish and protect everyone in our society, and that safety should not just be the preserve of the wealthy.
“We must commit to building a housing system that is safe and fair for everyone in this country.”
Following the inquiry’s long-awaited report, Grenfell Next of Kin, which represents the families of almost half those killed, held a press conference at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London. 
In it, grieving family members and survivors criticised the inquiry for delaying justice.
You can watch the full press conference here.
You can listen to survivors of the Grenfell disaster share their feelings about the inquiry in the latest episode of The Daily T podcast.
Irish premier Simon Harris has urged companies named in the report on the Grenfell Tower fire to “reflect fully” on its findings.
Asked if he has any concerns about buildings in Ireland after Irish insulation company Kingspan was named in the report, Mr Harris said: “I need to be careful on this because I haven’t read the Grenfell inquiry report that came out relatively recently.
“I want to obviously, again, remember those who died in the Grenfell tragedy.
“I think of their families today and think how painful today must be.
“I’m also conscious that they would have waited a very long time for this final report.
“I will take the time to read it, to reflect on it with my officials to see if there are any learnings for Ireland, and I would obviously encourage any company referenced in the report to do likewise, to reflect fully on those findings, and once I’ve done that I will give a more considered response.”
The leader of the council which owns Grenfell Tower has issued a grovelling apology in the wake of this morning’s report.
Elizabeth Campbell, leader of Kensington and Chelsea council, said: “We failed to keep people safe before and during the refurbishment and we failed to treat people with humanity and care in the aftermath.”
In an open letter published on the council’s website, she apologised “with all my heart” to the victims and said she hoped the inquiry’s report would help them find justice.
She added: “The organisation I lead owes it to every single person who lost their lives to learn the lessons, change, and improve.”
Estate and letting agency trade group Propertymark has called on the Government to take action following the report into the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
Henry Griffith, policy and campaigns officer at Propertymark, said: “Despite commitments from the previous government, half-a-million people continue to live within properties that are known to have serious safety concerns.
“Now that the final report has been published, the UK Government must take action to alleviate the myriad of issues that residents in high-rise buildings continue to face.
“By doing so, we can bring confidence back to the sector so people can feel safe in their homes.
“It is vital to appreciate that residents of affected properties continue to live under a cloud of unacceptable vulnerability.”
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.”
Grenfell United, a group of survivors and bereaved families from the Grenfell Tower fire, has released its full statement in response to the inquiry’s final report. 
In it, the groups accused the government of “aiding and abetting crooks and killers”. 
Our response to today’s publication of the Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2 Report pic.twitter.com/rEvshCrTPz
Maria Jafari, a survivor, said: “It’s seven years now we are waiting for justice. Yesterday I went to collect the report and a big bag of paper was handed to me.”
Speaking at the Grenfell Next of Kin press conference, she said: “My mother said where’s the justice? What happened? Who can explain to us… seven years have passed and we have to fight again… nobody knows who’s going to be alive for the justice. So who is going to tell us?
“When I die I don’t want to be shamed in front of my father… we didn’t fight for him…
“I don’t know what the inquiry means… nobody explained to us… now I understand what the inquiry means and we have to fight another one. We have lost our energy for seven years, we don’t have more…”
Maryam Adam, a survivor of the Grenfell fire, says criminal charges should be brought against those responsible.
Speaking through tears at the Grenfell Next of Kin press conference, she said: “If you don’t charge someone with criminal charges, the criminality will continue.
“What happened with Grenfell will happen with the other buildings if we don’t charge.”
She added: “I hope everyone who had a hand with what happened is charged.”
Angela Rayner has reiterated Sir Keir Starmer’s apology to the Grenfell victims. 
In a post on X, the deputy prime minister said: “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.”
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. https://t.co/fTX5SVOaDA
Shahrokh Aghlani, whose mother and aunt died, says manslaughter charges should be brought against those responsible for the Grenfell fire and “nothing less would do”.  
Speaking at the Grenfell Next of Kin press conference, he said: “This illusion of learning from your mistakes has not brought about any concrete actions from the Government. 
“I fear that is because there is no prosecution, there are no consequences for people who failed while they were in office. They can just ignore the public, ignore the thousands of buildings wrapped with cladding today.
“With the Government that we have that is not taking responsibility for taking them off, this shows they do not fear prosecution.”
He added: “I would expect the Crown Prosecution to tell us what sort of prosecution they have in mind. To me, it’s a manslaughter charge and nothing less would do.”
Karim Khalloufi, whose sister Khadija died in the Grenfell fire, tells the Grenfell Next of Kin press conference that families have been “robbed of justice” by the inquiry.
He said: “Seven years, I was saying to myself oh seven years it’s enough to get justice. They have everything. They have the evidence. They have who did, when it was done, and how it was done.
He added: “We were robbed of justice. This delay has caused a lot of damage to us, has participated in denying our right. We are asking … the minimum we are asking is criminal prosecution for manslaughter, this is the minimum. 
“Because all the people died deserve justice, and all the people here deserve justice. Nothing will be extinguished … if we don’t have this justice.
“We will seek justice… we will go to probably and with the help of Grenfell Next of Kin, we are preparing ourselves to see the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice, the CPS, the police, to fight – not to fight, but to tell them we have a right of justice and we want it.”
In his statement to the House of Commons earlier, Sir Keir Starmer said the companies responsible for the Grenfell fire will not be given government contracts in the future.
He said: “In the light of such findings it is imperative that there is full accountability including through the criminal justice process, and that this happens as swiftly as possible.
“This Government will write to all companies found by the inquiry to be part of these horrific failings as the first step to stopping them being awarded government contracts.
“We will of course support the Metropolitan Police and the prosecutors as they complete their investigations.
“It is vital that as we respond to this report today we do not do or say anything that could compromise any future prosecution, because the greatest injustice of all would be for the victims and all those affected not to get the justice that they deserve.”
Mr Choucair lost his mother, his sister, her three young daughters and their father in the Grenfell fire.
He said: “Watching this inquiry for me has been very painful. 
“I’ve seen witnesses laugh giving evidence, which burns me inside how they can have the cheek to do that, knowing that they are partially to blame for what happened on that horrific day.
“You have other witnesses that didn’t even turn up and submitted their submissions through their solicitors, claiming that they were not well enough to give evidence. 
“Yet this was not followed through and checked to see if this was actually correct.
Speaking through tears, Mr Choucair adds: “I’m sorry to say, it (the inquiry) has been a joke. 
“I don’t how much money has been spent on it – I think around £170m – but had we had this money to pursue our own private investigation, I would have taken it with open hands.
“I still don’t understand why the inquiry was opened the day after the fire. This was an abusement of power from the Government.”
He says the Government opened the inquiry to avoid “disorder” breaking out.
Hisam Choucair, who witnessed six members of his family die in Grenfell Tower, says the inquiry was “forced on us” and was not wanted. 
He said it has delayed justice and has “put the extra nail in our hearts”.
“We did not ask for this inquiry. This inquiry was opened on the second day of the fire. The majority of us didn’t have solicitors, didn’t know what an inquiry was. 
“We did not know the consequences of having an inquiry and how that would impact on our justice moving forward.”
Grenfell Next of Kin, which represents the families of almost half those killed, is holding a press conference following this morning’s report by the inquiry. 
You can watch along on the livestream at the top of this page.
The Prime Minister has apologised to the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire, saying the country failed to “protect you and your loved ones”.
Speaking in the House of Commons, he said: “So I want to start with an apology on behalf of the British state to each and every one of you and indeed to all of the families affected by this tragedy.
“It should never have happened. The country failed to discharge its most fundamental duty – to protect you and your loved ones. The people that we are here to serve, and I am deeply sorry.
“I also want to express my admiration for the strength it must have taken to relive these events while giving your evidence to the inquiry and indeed, to see written down today the circumstances that led to the deaths of your loved ones.
“After all you’ve been through, you may feel you’re always one step away from another betrayal. I get that, and I know I cannot change that with just words today.
The Prime Minister continues: “In the face of an injustice so painful, so deserving of anger, words can begin to lose their meaning. Seven years waiting for the justice you deserve.
“I want to say very clearly on behalf of the country, you’ve been let down so badly, before during and in the aftermath of this tragedy.”
“While Sir Martin sets out a catalogue of appalling industry failures, for which there must now be full accountability, he also finds, and I quote, decades of failure by central government.
“He concludes that between the fire at Knowsley Heights in 1991 and the fire at Grenfell Tower in 2017, there were many opportunities for the government to identify the risks posed by the use of combustible cladding panels and insulation.
“And he concludes, and I quote, by 2016, the department was well aware of those risks, but failed to act on what they knew.”
Sir Keir Starmer is reading a statement in the House of Commons about the Grenfell report this morning.
He says: “Mr Speaker, this morning Sir Martin Moore-Bick published the final report of the Grenfell Tower inquiry. I’m sure the whole House will join me in thanking him, the members of the inquiry and the whole team for their dedicated work.
“I want to speak directly to the bereaved families, the survivors and those in the immediate Grenfell community – some of whom are with us in the gallery today.
“Sir Martin concluded this morning – and I’m afraid there is no way of repeating this that won’t be painful – 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, as the report lays out in full, just about every institution responsible for ensuring their safety.”
Baroness May of Maidenhead, who was prime minister at the time of the Grenfell Tower disaster in 2017, said national and local government, regulators and industry “must all acknowledge their part in the history and series of events that led to this tragedy”.
The Grenfell report, which found failings by the local council, will be “properly considered” by the Local Government Association (LGA).
Councillor Louise Gittins, chairman of the LGA, which represents councils across England, said: “The disaster that unfolded at Grenfell Tower must never be allowed to happen again and the LGA and councils will take time to properly consider this vital report and its recommendations.
“Local government stands ready to work with the Government on improving building safety and ensuring no-one has to live in fear about their safety, be that in the buildings they live in, work in or visit.” 
Diane Abbott has spoken out after this morning’s report into Grenfell Tower fire was released.
In a post on X, the Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington said: “Grenfell still stands as a monument to elected representatives ignoring the people who put them there, enormous and allowed greed, regulatory capture and laissez-faire economics.
“Justice for Grenfell must include ending all of these.”
We can now bring you some more quotes from Grenfell United’s statement, which was read earlier today by survivor Natasha Elcock.
The statement said: “The recommendations published today are basic safety principles that should already exist, highlighting how the government’s role, duties and obligations have been hollowed out by privatisation.”
It added: “Today we send a message to Keir Starmer and his government: This country has been failed by governments of all political persuasions. 
“Our expectation is your government will break old habits and implement all the recommendations made by Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s report without further delay because the time to address this is already three decades too late.
“For the report to be worth anything it must be and bring systematic change.”
Sir Keir Starmer said he would make a statement after Prime Minister’s Questions but told the Commons: “I know that 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.”
Follow our live coverage of PMQs here.
The Grenfell United statement added: “It shows the senior mgmt at the LFB knew about the risk of cladding fires but did nothing to prepare.
“But above all, the judge concludes what we already knew: that every single loss of life that night was avoidable.
“Human life was never a priority and we lost friends, neighbours and loved ones in the most horrific way, through greed, corruption, incompetence and negligence.”
The statement from Grenfell United continued: “The Government ignored warnings about dangerous cladding from as early as 1991. 
“It knew the risks but failed to prevent them, revealing the greed and profiteering of an industry that has been poorly regulated by governments over decades.
“It uncovers the systematic failings at the TMO [Tenant Management Organisation] and RBKC [Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea] which created a toxic, calculated culture which marginalised its residents.”
Natasha Elcock, a survivor of the Grenfell Tower fire who lost her uncle, is reading a statement from Grenfell United, a group of survivors and bereaved families. 
Reading the statement, she said: “Today marks the conclusion of a painful six years listening to the advice that contributed to the deaths of 54 adults and 18 children.
“They were our loved ones, our neighbours and our friends.
“Today’s report speaks to the lack of competence, understanding and fundamental failure to perform the most basic duties of care.
“We paid the price of systematic dishonesty, institutional indifference and neglect.”
Sir Martin Moore-Bick is now reading the names of the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.
“We should all remember that the Grenfell Tower fire 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,” he said.
“We invite you, therefore, to join us in remembering them while I read out their names.”
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.”
A member of the Grenfell inquiry panel choked up as she paid tribute to the victims.
Thouria Istephan, an architect, struggled to get her words out as she said the inquiry had “left a mark on me”.
“As an inquiry panel, we have acted throughout with fairness, independence and impartiality,” she said. “That is what the law requires. At the same time, the losses so many people have suffered, and my involvement in this process has left a mark on me as a person and as a professional, which will last far beyond this inquiry.
“And although this inquiry is now ending, we know that for many people, their journey continues. We wish them strength for the future.” 
All the Grenfell Tower victims were “already dead” because of toxic gases by the time the fire reached them, Sir Martin Moore-Bick said.
“And with expert assistance, we have been able to establish a reasonably accurate time of death.
“In each case, we’re satisfied that all those whose bodies were damaged by the fire were already dead by the time it reached them,” he said.
“Fundamental” change is needed in the construction industry to prevent fires like Grenfell Tower from happening again, the chairman of the inquiry has said.
Sir Martin Moore-Bick said: “We think that more can and should be done to bring about a fundamental change in the attitudes and practices of the construction industry. Only such a change can ensure that in future, buildings in general and higher risk buildings in particular are safe for those who live and work in them.
“We think that in different ways, implementation of our recommendations will improve fire safety, particularly in high-rise buildings, and ensure that dangerous materials cannot be used in construction in the future, they will also improve the efficiency of fire and rescue services nationally.”
The chairman of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), which represents fire services, said the recommendations in the final Grenfell Tower report would be given their “full attention”.
Mark Hardingham said: “It is the responsibility of NFCC as the professional voice of fire and rescue services and the sector to learn from the issues leading up to the incident, the actions on the night of the fire, what has happened since, and to continue to correct what went wrong.
“We will focus all our efforts on what we must do better or differently so that we never again see anything like the Grenfell Tower fire.
“We will carefully consider every recommendation in the report, giving them our full attention. We will continue to work with partners in government and across and beyond the fire service sector as we press for significant improvement and reform on behalf of our communities.”
Grenfell victims have demanded that manslaughter charges be brought against those responsible for the tragedy.
The chair of the seven-year-inquiry, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, met with survivors and the bereaved on Tuesday and told them: “The deaths were all avoidable.”
Grenfell Next of Kin, which represents the families of almost half those killed, said: “The Grenfell Tower Inquiry report is hard-hitting and the chairman does not mince his words, but the sad truth for us the families of the deceased is will there be manslaughter charges?”
In a statement, a spokesman added: “All those mentioned in the report have blood on their hands but it fails to identify who can be charged for manslaughter and that is what justice means for us.”
The inquiry chairman continued: “We find that Studio E, Rydon and Harley all took an unacceptably casual approach to contractual relations. None of their employees engaged on the project understood the relevant provisions of the building regulations, the stat guidance, or such guidance from industry sources as was then available.
“That might not have mattered quite so much if proper advice had been taken from a competent and experienced fire engineer, or if building control had performed its task properly.”
Sir Martin Moore-Bick has said the London Fire Brigade had a “chronic lack of effective leadership” and “an attitude of complacency” during its response to the Grenfell Tower fire.
“In our report, we find that there were deficiencies in the organisation and management of the control room, the training of control room officers, and in the commissioning and delivery of training to operational crews, in particular in relation to Incident Command,” he said.
“There were also deficiencies in the collection of information needed to enable crews to prepare effectively to respond to fires in individual buildings.
“The primary cause of those problems was a chronic lack of effective leadership, combined with an undue emphasis on process and an attitude of complacency.”
We are hearing more from Sir Martin Moore-Bick as he speaks about the findings of the report at the Dorland House in Paddington.
He says no one has been “willing” to take responsibility for selecting the combustible cladding which was installed on Grenfell Tower.
“One of the problems that afflicted the refurbishment was a failure on the part of all concerned to understand where responsibility for any particular decision lay that was especially the case in relation to the choice of the rain screen,” he said.
“The generally prevailing view was that since aluminum composite material panels had been used on other buildings without apparent problems, they were suitable for use on the tower, but no one was prepared to accept responsibility for having chosen them. And when questioned, everyone who was asked said that someone else had been responsible for ensuring that they were suitable.”
Kingspan, which provided some of the insulation for Grenfell Tower, said it welcomed today’s report.
In a statement, the firm said: “We welcome the publication of today’s report which is crucial to a public understanding of what went wrong and why. It explains clearly and unambiguously that the type of insulation (whether combustible or non-combustible) was immaterial, and that the principal reason for the fire spread was the PE ACM cladding, which was not made by Kingspan.
“Kingspan has long acknowledged the wholly unacceptable historical failings that occurred in part of our UK insulation business. 
“These were in no way reflective of how we conduct ourselves as a Group, then or now. While deeply regrettable, they were not found to be causative of the tragedy.
“Kingspan has already emphatically addressed these issues, including the implementation of extensive and externally-verified measures to ensure our conduct and compliance standards are world leading.”
The Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO), which managed Grenfell Tower at the time of the fire, said: “We are acutely conscious of the terrible impact that this tragedy has had on the bereaved, the survivors, their relatives, and the broader Grenfell Tower community.
“We accept that the TMO contributed to this and we are deeply sorry.
“We continue to offer our deepest condolences and sympathies to all those affected.
“We sincerely hope that the findings of this comprehensive report will lead to safer homes for all those in social housing.”
London Fire Brigade said it was now “better prepared” to respond to high-rise fires but would not be “complacent”.
Commissioner Andy Roe said: “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.”
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry chairman said the deaths of 72 people in the 2017 fire were “all avoidable”.
 Sir Martin Moore-Bick 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.
“They include the Government, the tenant management organisation, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, those who manufactured and supplied the materials used in the refurbishment, those who certified their suitability for use on high-rise residential buildings, the architect, Studio E; the principal contractor, Rydon Maintenance Ltd, and some of its sub-contractors, in particular, Harley Curtain Wall Ltd and its successor Harley Facades Ltd; some of the consultants, in particular the fire engineer, Exova Warringtonfire Ltd; the local authority’s building control department and the London Fire Brigade.
“Not all of them bear the same degree of responsibility for the eventual disaster, but, as our reports show, all contributed to it in one way or another, in most cases through incompetence but in some cases through dishonesty and greed .
“The failings can be traced back over many years and our efforts to get to the bottom of what went wrong and why, account for the length of our report and the time it has taken us to produce it.”
The government failed to properly consider the “dangers of using combustible materials in the walls of high-rise buildings”, the chairman of the Grenfell inquiry has said.
Sir Martin Moore-Bick said: “We find that there was a failure on the part of the government and others to give proper consideration at an early stage to the dangers of using combustible materials in the walls of high-rise buildings, that including failing to amend, in an appropriate way, the statutory guidance on the construction of external walls.
“That is where the seeds of the disaster were sown.”
The Grenfell fire was caused by the “systematic dishonesty” of construction companies that manufactured cladding for the tower block’s refurbishment, a seven-year public inquiry has concluded.
Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the inquiry chairman, also placed blame for the fatal inferno on “decades of failure” by government ministers and officials who ignored a series of warnings over the risk of cladding fires.
He said regulators had put “commercial interests” above building safety and had been “complicit” in allowing manufacturers to “manipulate” fire testing data.
Read our full report on the findings of the inquiry here.
Sir Keir Starmer said the report from Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s Grenfell Tower inquiry identified “substantial and widespread failings”.
The Prime Minister 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.
The inquiry’s chairman, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, is speaking at the Dorland House in Paddington, central London, about the findings of the Grenfell report released this morning.
The former Court of Appeal judge says: “The simple truth is that the deaths that occurred were all avoidable and those that lived in the tower were badly failed over a number of years and in a number of different ways by those responsible for ensuring the safety.
“They include the Government, the Tenant Management organisation, those who manufactured and supplied the materials used in the refurbishment, those who certified their suitability for use on high rise buildings, the architect, the principal contractor and some of its subcontracts.” 
The Metropolitan Police has called the report “a significant milestone” but says it will take “at least 12-18 months” before any prosecutions would begin. 
The force said its investigation into the fire operates under a different legal framework and the report cannot be used “as evidence to bring charges”.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said: “The thoughts of the Met are especially with the bereaved, survivors and residents as well as the wider Grenfell community. We remember with much sadness all those who lost their lives. The report is direct, comprehensive and reaches clear conclusions.
“To secure justice for those who died and all those affected by the fire we must examine the report – line by line – alongside the evidence from the criminal investigation. This will lead to the strongest possible evidence being presented to the Crown Prosecution Service so they can make charging decisions.”
The report has now been published into the Grenfell fire in 2017, which claimed 72 lives.
In total, the report has made 58 recommendations, including tightening up building regulations and improving government oversight of fire safety.
Grenfell victims have demanded that manslaughter charges be brought against those responsible for the tragedy after the chair of the seven-year-inquiry, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, said that “The deaths were all avoidable.”
Grenfell Next of Kin, which represents the families of almost half those killed, said: “The Grenfell Tower Inquiry report is hard hitting and the Chair does not mince his words, but the sad truth for us the families of the deceased is will there be manslaughter charges?”
Nazanin Aghlani, whose mother and aunt died, said: “It was evident that there were multiple failures on the night. We didn’t ask for a public Inquiry. What we wanted was prosecutions and this doesn’t bring any closure.  
“Unless there are manslaughter prosecutions with people going to prison there’s no closure.”
Over the course of the seven-year inquiry, companies, authorities and individuals who appeared at hearings were accused of spinning a “spider’s web of blame”.
On the last day of hearings in November 2022, Richard Millett KC, lead counsel to the inquiry, spent more than an hour and a half painstakingly explaining how the key players had sought to point the finger of culpability at one another.
He showed a slide that portrayed a barely credible labyrinth of interconnecting arrows.
The Telegraph’s Henry Bodkin and Robert Mendick have taken a look inside the Grenfell fire web of blame.
A 72-second-silence was held on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning, to remember each of the victims of the Grenfell fire. 
A similar moment of respect was held during last month’s Notting Hill Carnival.
It comes ahead of an official public inquiry report into the Grenfell fire, which will be released at 11am today.
Today’s long-awaited report follows a seven year public inquiry into the Grenfell fire in June 2017 which claimed 72 lives. 
Grieving families have accused the inquiry, which has cost at least £170 million, of delaying justice by preventing any prosecutions until its findings are complete.
Grenfell victims have complained that not a single person, company or authority has been charged with any crime.
They have also claimed the inquiry has benefited the lawyers, not the victims. So far the legal bill alone for the inquiry has topped £100 million.
Welcome to our live coverage of the official public inquiry report into the Grenfell fire, which will be released at 11am.
It is the final report of a seven-year inquiry into the fire at Grenfell Tower in June 2017 which claimed 72 lives.
In today’s report, the inquiry will present its findings on how the 24-storey tower in North Kensington came to be in a condition which allowed the flames to spread so quickly.
The report is expected to criticise previous Conservative governments, the council and construction companies.