John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor,commenting on the Grenfell Tower fire, said:

“The tragic fire that occurred on Grenfell Tower must never be allowed to happen again. The lessons of Camberwell, Shepherds Bush and Southampton have not been learned, and it is the responsibility of government to provide solutions.

“The Government must now as a matter of urgency lift the housing revenue account borrowing cap to free councils to undertake the urgent retrofitting work required on all existing housing stock found not to meet required safety standards.

“Councils must also be given the power, as Labour’s housing manifesto pledges to do, to borrow to invest in council housing on the scale necessary to allow all those living in homes deemed to be unsafe to be properly rehoused.

“The next Labour Government will take any and all steps required to address the critical housing crisis in our country. Labour have pledged to invest to build over a million new homes over the course of the next parliament. Within five years, our manifesto commits to building at least 100,000 council and housing association homes a year for genuinely affordable rent or sale.”