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Grenfell Inquiry latest: Man who lost six relatives in Grenfell blaze brands inquiry a 'joke' - as survivors say 'justice not delivered'

The final Grenfell Tower fire report has been published - and it delivers a damning verdict on the failures of government, the construction industry and regulators that led to the deadly blaze seven years ago. Listen to a Daily podcast on the repercussions for the culprits as you scroll.

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That's all for our live coverage

We're bringing our live coverage of the damning report into the Grenfell Tower fire to an end for the night.

Before we go, here's a reminder of what the nearly 1,700-page document laid out, as well as some of the reaction we've heard today:

  • The landmark report found that decades of failures by government, regulators and industry turned Grenfell Tower into a "death trap" where 72 people lost their lives;
  • It says that a year before the June 2017 fire, the Conservative government was "well aware" of the deadly risks posed by combustible cladding and insulation "but failed to act on what it knew";
  • Chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick also found that "systematic dishonesty" from cladding and insulation firms resulted in hazardous materials being applied to Grenfell Tower;
  • There was a "toxic" relationship between Grenfell residents and the tower's Tenant Management Organisation, which was responsible for running services;
  • Grenfell residents who raised safety concerns were dismissed as "militant troublemakers";
  • London Fire Brigade was also criticised for a "chronic lack of effective leadership, combined with an undue emphasis on process and an attitude of complacency" in its response to the fire.
  • Sir Keir Starmer said was "deeply sorry" for the actions of the British government and pledged to ensure "full accountability, including through the criminal justice process... as swiftly as possible";
  • Grenfell United said "justice has not been delivered" and survivors and families were "failed in most cases by incompetence and in many cases by calculated dishonesty and greed";
  • Families have also been giving their reaction through the day, with one man who lost six relatives in the blaze branding the inquiry a "joke", and another saying it had "robbed" survivors and families of justice;
  • The Metropolitan Police have pledged to go through the report "line by line";
  • Kensington and Chelsea council apologised and admitted it should have done more to keep people safe.
Grenfell Tower a 'sacred space' and deserves 'fitting' memorial

Asked what the future holds for the site of the Grenfell fire, Lord Boateng said he wants to see a memorial that is "fitting" and "impactful".

The co-chairman of the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission said it must be a "place of peace and restoration for the bereaved, next of kin and the wider community".

He noted it was difficult to build a consensus around what should happen.

"This is by definition now, and in light of the lives that have been lost, a sacred space so it must be treated respectfully," said Lord Boateng.

But he said it's also a "crime scene" and people "want justice".

Any memorial should not "mark closure", he added, saying: "There is no closure to a loss of life on this scale."

Grenfell memorial commission chair emotional as he praises 'brave' and 'hopeful' community

The co-chairman of the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission became emotional as he reflected on the "wonderful" and "diverse" community which has "suffered terribly".

Speaking to Sky News' Sarah-Jane Mee, Lord Paul Boateng said the Grenfell community has been "consistently marginalised, ignored and disrespected over decades".

"That's what's led to this tragedy and what the community wants is justice," he said.

Asked what the future looked like the for community, Lord Boateng became tearful as he said: "This is a wonderful community, it's a diverse community, it's a community that has suffered terribly. 

"But they are brave and they are hopeful and they will not just survive, they'll succeed. And the memorial must capture that."

Scale of cladding issues larger than officially reported, expert says

The true number of buildings affected by cladding is much larger than officially reported, a leading expert in high-rise building safety has said.

Government figures show more than 4,600 buildings 11 metres high and above had been identified as having unsafe cladding as of July.

But Matt Hodges-Long, founder of the Building Safety Register, told Sky News the figures are "under-reflected".

"In all of the numbers that the government put out, we're not talking about buildings below 11m in height - that's sort of four stories and below," he said.

"There are thousands of those. We know of a significant number that are impacted at the moment by the building safety crisis and fire safety. But the real number isn't known and it's not tracked and it's not reported."

Mr Hodges-Long said the previous government was slow to respond and could have "pre-empted" a lot of the recommendations set out today.

He said it would not be a "quick fix" to make people safer, and changes could take years to fully implement.

Victims must never be forgotten, says man who lost six family members in fire

Nabil Choucair, who lost six family members in the Grenfell Tower fire, says the victims must be a constant focus and never forgotten.

"We won't forget them, we can't forget them, it's a betrayal on ourselves if we do," he told Sky News' Sarah-Jane Mee.

He said he thinks about the night of 14 June 2017 "every hour, every minute, every second" and still occasionally picks up the phone to call his family members who died. 

"I've devoted my life for them now," he said.

"The families that lived [in Grenfell Tower], they were all like one big family. And because they were one big family we can't let them down and we mustn't let them down. We're going to keep fighting to the very end for them, whatever it takes."

Mr Choucair said families and survivors have "heard the talk" from the previous Conservative government, and the Labour leadership now "really need to listen to the next of kin" who are fighting for their loved ones.

Asked about what should happen to the tower site, he said it needs to be a "fitting memorial that... talks about the legacy of the people that died".

"Everything has to be devoted to and about them," he said.

Grenfell survivor recalls night of tragedy - and says families 'knew what was going to come out'

Emma Louise O'Connor, a Grenfell survivor who had been living on the 20th floor of the 23-storey tower, says today's report has "taken far too long".

Speaking to Sarah-Jane Mee for our UK Tonight special programme on the inquiry report, Ms O'Connor says residents and families "all knew what was going to come out".

She says that while the inquiry has "left no stone unturned", it's important that the recommended changes are now implemented.

Ms O'Connor has a number of disabilities including osteoarthritis, and uses crutches.

She says 14 June 2017 was a "normal takeaway night" before the blaze started, and she and her partner stayed up much later than planned - something which she now believes saved her life.

After hearing fire engines outside the building, Ms O'Connor opened the door to her flat to investigate, and was met with a corridor full of smoke.

She eventually managed to get out the building - but she says she suffers with "survivor's guilt".

Asked what justice looks like to her, Ms O'Connor said it looked like "the government protecting our London Fire Brigade so they can protect us" and for cladding to be removed without any worry over the cost.

Inquiry has garnered mixed reaction from families and survivors

There has been a "mixed reaction" from survivors and bereaved families to the inquiry's final report today, says our news correspondent Rachael Venables.

She says some have expressed "disappointment" at the inquiry as a whole, saying they would have preferred the police investigation "to progress at pace".

But others who have been involved in the inquiry as core participants or just to support the process have been "much more supportive", Venables adds.

"They see this as a crucial chapter. It is a monumental step in their search for justice."

Our special programme is now live

A special version of our UK Tonight programme with Sarah-Jane Mee has just begun on Sky News.

We'll be speaking to a survivor and a bereaved family member, as well as the chairman of the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission.

You can watch live on the Sky News channel or in the stream above.

Archbishop of Canterbury describes report as 'chilling'

The Archbishop of Canterbury said the inquiry's final report is a "chilling" read and has called for "deep reflection and meaningful change".

"It is 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 said in a statement.

He said the report was a "dreadful reminder that human lives should never be sacrificed in the pursuit of profit".

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."

'Race and class' contributed to 'appalling' treatment of Grenfell residents, says London mayor

London mayor Sadiq Khan has said the inquiry's report was "gut-wrenching" to read and residents were treated "appallingly" before and after the disaster.

Mr Khan was asked on Sky News' Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge whether he felt families' frustration at wanting someone to be held responsible.

The mayor said he did, and added that Sir Keir Starmer's response today should also be the moment for "a turning point in relation to how those who are housed in social housing are treated".

"One of the things the report also concludes is the residents were treated appallingly before, during and after the fire. I'm afraid issues of race and social class are relevant to the way they were treated," Mr Khan said.

He wants the government to ensure no company named in the report today gets government contracts moving forward.

"That should have been straight away - companies who are systemically dishonest, greedy, neglectful, are still getting contracts leading to them having profits and doing well," he said.

The mayor added: "We've got to avoid companies cutting corners because of greed."

Mr Khan said he can "still feel the heat and the smell" of the Grenfell fire from the morning after the tragedy.

"But it's hard for the families - forget me - these families have lost loved ones, they'll never be the same again."

He welcomed the prime minister's commitment to helping the police and CPS continue their criminal investigations.