Michael Gove admits bad government guidance was partly responsible for the Grenfell tragedy
MICHAEL Gove has admitted bad government guidance was partly responsible for the Grenfell tragedy.
Seventy two people died when fire engulfed the tower block in 2017.
The Housing Secretary admitted the failure ahead of the findings of the public inquiry into the West London blaze, due out later this year.
Mr Gove said he expected the probe to point the finger of blame at the Government, developers and cladding firms.
He also said he is “deeply sorry” to homeowners who were stuck in flats with unsafe cladding after developers dragged their feet about tackling the problem.
Mr Gove told The Sunday Times guidance on building materials “allowed unscrupulous people to exploit a broken system in a way that led to tragedy”.
He also suggested cladding firms showed “an active willingness to put people in danger in order to make a profit”.
Grenfell Tower was covered in flammable panels.
In the wake of the disaster, leaseholders in up to 1.5million flats with unsafe cladding were unable to sell.
Mr Gove will tomorrow say developers who signed up to a voluntary £2billion pledge to alter their buildings will be slapped with binding contracts.