Michael Gove has apologised to the families affected by the Grenfell Tower fire after admitting “faulty” government building regulations allowed the tragedy to occur.
The levelling up secretary said the “government collectively has to take some responsibility” for the 2017 blaze, which killed 72 people.
A public inquiry, chaired by Sir Martin Moore-Bick heard evidence which showed official guidance was widely seen to allow highly flammable cladding on tall buildings.
In an interview with the Sunday Times, Gove was asked if he accepted the rules were wrong.
“Yes,” he replied. “There was a system of regulation that was faulty. The government did not think hard enough, or police effectively enough, the whole system of building safety. Undoubtedly.”
Asked on Sky News this morning if he would apologise to the victims’ families, Gove said he “absolutely would”.
He added: “I remember visiting the site just a couple of days after the fire and thinking that it was horrific that this had happened.
“The more that I discovered about the circumstances the more horrified I was. There were people in that building who had warned beforehand that they were in potential danger. The warnings were not heeded.
“I’m the first, I hope, to acknowledge that we haven’t done right by the bereaved and the residents and survivors from Grenfell and that is one very, very important mission.”