Watch in full: Grenfell United make statement after damning final report into fire

Grenfell United made a statement on the deadly fire inquiry.Source: Reuters

Transcript

00:00I will now read a statement on behalf of Grenfell United. We will not be taking questions after.

00:07Today marks the conclusion of a painful six years listening to the advice that contributed to the

00:14deaths of 54 adults and 18 children. They were our loved ones, our neighbours and our friends.

00:21Today's report speaks to the lack of competence, understanding and fundamental failure to perform

00:31the most basic duties of care. We paid the price of systematic dishonesty, institutional indifference

00:40and neglect. The government ignored warnings about dangerous cladding from as early as 1991.

00:48It knew the risks but failed to prevent them, revealing the greed and profiteering of an

00:54industry that has been poorly regulated by governments over decades. It uncovers the

01:01systematic failings at the TMO and RBKC which created a toxic calculated culture which marginalised

01:10its residents. It shows the senior management at the London Fire Brigade knew about the risk

01:18of cladding fires but did nothing to prepare. But above all the judge concludes what we already knew

01:27that every single loss of life that night was avoidable. Human life was never a priority

01:34and we lost friends, neighbours and loved ones in the most horrific way through greed, corruption,

01:42incompetence and negligence. The recommendations published today are basic safety principles

01:50that should already exist, highlighting how the government's role, duties and obligations

01:57have been hollowed out by privatisation. Where voids were created as the government

02:03outsourced their duties, Kingspan, Celatex and Arconic filled the gaps with substandard

02:10and combustible materials. They were allowed to manipulate the testing regimes, fraudulently

02:17and knowingly market their products as safe. Today we send a message to Keir Starmer and his

02:25government. This country has been failed by governments of all political persuasions.

02:31Our expectation is your government will break old habits and implement all the recommendations

02:38made by Sir Martin Morbick's report without further delay because the time to address this

02:44is already three decades too late. For the report to be worth anything it must be and bring

02:51systematic change. To prevent another tragedy like Grenfell your government needs to create

02:57something that doesn't exist. You must become a government with the power and ability to separate

03:04itself from the construction industry and corporate lobbying. A government that prioritises

03:10and tackles declaring structural injustices and social and racial inequalities of the people you

03:15serve. You must now finally make this the turning point for Britain. To the police and the Crown

03:21Prosecution Service it's now on to you to deliver justice, to bring charges to those culpable for

03:28the deaths of our loved ones. We would like to thank the public for their continuous support of

03:34the bereaved survivors and the Grenfell community. You were there for us when when it happened. We

03:39asked for you to continue to stand with us, to stand for what's right and help us in holding

03:45those responsible to account. Finally to the 54 adults and 18 children whose lives got cut short

03:54in the most violent way, we will never give up fighting for justice for you and you will

04:00forever be in our hearts. Thank you.