Anger after government pauses Grenfell contract investigations

Bereaved families and survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire have accused the government of "incompetence or outright indifference" after it paused investigations into possible bans for firms criticised in connection with the blaze, which killed 72 people.

- Nadeem Badshah

Five months after the government announced it would look at seven firms with the possibility of banning them from public contracts, ministers confirmed a pause yesterday "to prevent any impact on criminal investigations".

Grenfell United, which represents some bereaved people and survivors, called the decision a "U-turn" and "yet another glaring example of a government that abandons its duty and shamelessly betrays those it vowed to protect".

After an announcement in parliament in February, investigations were launched in March into the cladding firm Arconic, the insulation firm Kingspan, former Celotex owners Saint-Gobain, fire inspectors Exova, the design and build contractor Rydon, architect Studio E and subcontractor Harley Facades.

The companies faced criticism in the final report of the inquiry into the fire at the west London tower block on 14 June 2017.