Corbyn accuses Tories of “failing” the survivors of Grenfell Tower disaster

Labour has renewed its attack on the Tories over the Grenfell Tower tragedy by describing the failure to rehouse survivors as a “disgrace”.

Jeremy Corbyn spoke out today as the six month anniversary of the disaster, in which 71 people died, approaches on Thursday.

Corbyn said ministers were “failing” the residents who escaped from the inferno, which struck on June 14.

His intervention came as The Times reported that far-left groups, such as the Socialist Workers’ Party, had made a botched attempt to hijack the victims’ campaign.

Public hearings are due to take places this week to establish the framework for the inquiry into the blaze.

Today Corbyn repeated Labour’s criticism that the inferno at Grenfell could have been prevented.

“Six months on from the tragedy of the Grenfell Tower fire, the government is failing to learn its lessons and, more importantly, falling the survivors,” he said.

“It is a disgrace that the majority of Grenfell residents have still not been given homes and that tower blocks across our country have still not been made safe. We need answers from the government and we need action.

 “Grenfell was an entirely avoidable human disaster. The government must act now to prevent it from being repeated.”

John Healey, the shadow housing secretary, has written to Theresa May to say that more 150 families remain in hotels or other emergency or temporary accommodation.  

“Over the last six months the government has failed to make good many of the promises made to Grenfell survivors and to the country,” he said.