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Grenfell fire: Cladding faces large-scale fire tests 6 July 2017 From the section UK Image copyright Reuters Cladding samples that have failed safety tests in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire will be subjected to further "large-scale" testing. Experts will fix a complete cladding system to a 30ft-high (9m) demonstration wall and subject it to "a severe fire", the government said. It comes after 190 samples out of 191 failed initial combustibility tests. Local Government Association chairman Lord Porter welcomed the "much-needed changes" to the process. Urgent tests were ordered on cladding from about 600 towers blocks in England after the Grenfell Tower fire, which killed at least 80 people, on 14 June. However, questions have since been asked about the nature of the process after all but one test resulted in a failure. Where have cladding fire tests failed? Reality Check: The Grenfell rehousing promise 'Amnesty' for Grenfell fire residents The independent expert panel on safety has now said further testing will be carried out "as the next step". So far, tests have covered only the plastic "core" on panels similar to those used on Grenfell Tower. The new process will subject a demonstration wall to a "severe fire in a flat breaking out of a window" and aim to establish whether it will then spread up the outside wall. It will also assess how different types of aluminium composite material (ACM) panels behave with different types of insulation in a fire, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) said. ACM in the cladding is thought to have been a factor in the rapid spread of the fire at Grenfell Tower, in west London. Image copyright EPA The results will help landlords decide on further actions they may need to take to ensure buildings are safe, the DCLG added. The Local Government Association - which had called for the tests to be changed - said the new testing "needs to be undertaken urgently". "We have been clear all along that entire cladding panels and the insulation behind them need to be fire tested together as a system, rather than just the core of the panels on their own," Lord Porter added. Grenfell Tower inquiry 'will be broad' Will a public inquiry deliver answers? On Wednesday, it was announced that foreign nationals directly affected by the tower fire are to be allowed to stay in the UK for 12 months, regardless of their immigration status. The Home Office said it would not conduct immigration checks on survivors and those coming forward with information. A statement from the Met Police said 250 specialist investigators were working on the inquiry and the last visible human remains were removed from Grenfell Tower on Monday. Met Police Commander Stuart Cundy said there had been a total of 87 "recoveries" but, due to the "catastrophic damage" inside, that did not mean 87 people. Meanwhile, ministers have ordered a taskforce to help run Kensington and Chelsea Council, which has faced heavy criticism for its handling of disaster. View the full article

One in three nursing homes in England 'fail safety' By Nick Triggle Health correspondent 6 July 2017 From the section Health Image copyright Getty Images More than a third of England's 4,000 nursing homes are failing on safety, according to inspectors. Drug errors, lack of staff and falls were highlighted by the Care Quality Commission in its review. Safety was also a major issue in other services for the elderly and disabled, including care homes and home help. The CQC said the failings were "completely unacceptable", as it unveiled the full findings of its new inspection regime for the care sector. The new "tougher" system was launched in 2014, amid concerns problems were going undetected. The CQC has now completed inspections for all 24,000 services in the sector, which provide care to one million vulnerable people. More than 200,000 of them live in nursing homes, which had the most serious problems. Some 37% of homes failed on safety, with inspectors noting they had a particular problems recruiting and retaining nurses. Just below a quarter of care homes and home helps were rated not safe enough, while in community support, including sheltered housing, 17% fell short. The CQC highlighted poor care inspectors had found, including: the death of a 62-year-old man who had broken his neck in a fall from a shower chair at a West Yorkshire care home. The company in charge of the site, St Anne's Community Services, was prosecuted and fined £190,000 a number of cases where residents had been put back to bed in the morning because there had not been enough staff to provide them with support a 79-year-old woman left with serious burns after falling against an uncovered radiator at Manor Residential Home in London cases where incontinence pads had not been changed regularly and had even reused in some instances a resident of a home who had died after errors with his anti-blood clotting drugs a home that had managed its rotas so badly that care staff had had to help out in the kitchen at lunchtime when residents had needed help a home care service in Lincolnshire, Aamina, that had missed calls or carried out rushed visits, with examples of 30-minute calls being done in five Overall, inspectors have successfully prosecuted five care providers and another 1,000 have had enforcement action taken against them, from being closed down to handed warning notices. All the services deemed to be failing would continue to be monitored and re-inspected, the CQC said. How to pick a good care home Age UK advises families to check: the latest CQC report on the home whether the staff are friendly and welcoming if senior staff are on duty at all times and whether they know residents and families personally whether residents can choose their daily routines the ratio of staff to residents and the turnover of staff the dementia support available To find out more, view the checklist here. Chief inspector Andrea Sutcliffe said funding remained an issue for the sector and a "long-term solution" needed to be found but lack of money was "no excuse". "There is still too much poor care, some providers are failing to improve, and there is even some deterioration," she said. "This is completely and utterly unacceptable." Who gets social care and who pays for it? 10 charts that show what’s gone wrong with social care How can social care be funded? Caroline Abrahams, of Age UK, said the findings were "alarming" and vulnerable people were "effectively playing Russian roulette when they need care". She added: "Taken as a whole, this report is a graphic demonstration of why older people desperately need the government to follow through on its commitment to consult on proposals for strengthening social care later this year." Margaret Willcox, president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, said councils and providers would be "re-doubling our mutual efforts to ensure older and disabled people and their families get the reliable, personal care they need and deserve". View the full article

Immigration 'amnesty' for Grenfell fire residents 5 July 2017 From the section UK Image copyright Getty Images Foreign nationals directly affected by the Grenfell Tower fire are to be allowed to stay in the UK for 12 months regardless of their immigration status. The Home Office says its priority is to see residents "deal with the extremely difficult circumstances" so they can start to rebuild their lives. Labour called for a wider "amnesty". Meanwhile, ministers have ordered a taskforce to help run Kensington and Chelsea Council, which has faced heavy criticism for its handling of disaster. The specialist team will take over the running of key services, including housing and the longer term recovery of the area in North Kensington. At least 80 people died in the fire on 14 June. Reality Check: The Grenfell rehousing promise Grenfell Tower inquiry 'will be broad' Will a public inquiry deliver answers? The Home Office had previously said it would not conduct immigration checks on survivors and those coming forward to with information. In a written statement to Parliament, Home Office minister Brandon Lewis said: "Everyone affected by this tragedy needs reassurance that the government is there for them at this terrible time and we will continue to provide the support they need to help them through the difficult days, weeks and months to come." He said extending the period of leave to remain for foreign residents affected by the fire would also allow them to assist the police and other authorities with their inquiries. Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said the government should give permanent residency to the residents. "Some survivors have literally lost everything in this horrific tragedy, all their possessions, homes and loved ones," she said. "The idea that on top of this they could be deported later is grotesque." 'Harrowing accounts' A statement from the Met Police said 250 specialist investigators were working on the inquiry into the fire and the last visible human remains were removed from Grenfell Tower on Monday. Met Police Commander Stuart Cundy said there had been a total of 87 recoveries but, due to the "catastrophic damage" inside, that did not mean 87 people. So far, 21 people have been formally identified and their families informed. Grenfell Tower fire: Who were the victims? More inquests into the deaths of victims have been opened, with the Westminster coroner hearing the body of one of the oldest people to have been killed was identified by dental records. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionMP visibly moved during Grenfell statementDr Fiona Wilcox was told the body of 84-year-old Sheila, formerly known as Sheila Smith, was found on the 16th floor, while Vincent Chiejina, 60, was recovered from the 17th floor and identified by DNA. Earlier, housing minister Alok Sharma fought back tears as he told the Commons of hearing "harrowing accounts" from survivors, saying it had been the most "humbling and moving experience of my life". Only 14 out of the 158 affected families have accepted offers of temporary accommodation but ministers say no-one will be forced to move. Mr Sharma said 19 families "have not yet been ready to engage" in the process of being rehoused, while others were waiting for offers of permanent tenancy and many were still in hotels. But he acknowledged some residents still had a "lack of trust" in the authorities. The newly-elected Labour MP for Kensington, MP Emma Dent Coad, told Mr Sharma that some residents were being offered "totally unsuitable accommodation". Meanwhile, the retired judge chairing the public inquiry into the fire has promised to hear from people directly affected. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The judge leading the inquiry has vowed to listen to the concerns of residents Sir Martin Moore-Bick, who has faced calls to stand down, initially suggested the inquiry may not be broad enough to satisfy survivors. Launching a consultation document, the retired judge said: "I am determined to establish the causes of the tragedy, and ensure that the appropriate lessons are learnt. "To produce a report as quickly as possible, with clear recommendations for action, I will listen to people and consider a broad range of evidence, including on the role of the relevant public authorities and contractors, in order to help me answer the important questions." Earlier, the government said 190 buildings in England that underwent fire tests on their cladding - a renovation that is thought to have contributed to the spread of the Grenfell Tower fire - have failed. It also announced that cladding from one building had passed the test - the only sample to do so to date. View the full article

Government sends in Grenfell 'taskforce' 5 July 2017 From the section UK Government to send "taskforce" to take over housing and other parts of council in wake of Grenfell fire, BBC understands This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version. If you want to receive Breaking News alerts via email, or on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App then details on how to do so are available on this help page. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on Twitter to get the latest alerts. View the full article

Stalking victims being failed, say watchdogs 5 July 2017 From the section UK Image copyright Getty Images Victims of harassment and stalking are being left at risk because of failings by police and prosecutors in England and Wales, say two watchdogs. Crimes were not being recorded, said a report by the Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate. It also said too many investigations were poorly run and failed to give victims legal protection. Police and prosecution chiefs have pledged to improve performance. Stalking and harassment cases were often misunderstood, despite powers being available to protect victims, the inspectors said. The report also said police officers would fail to recognise repeated signs of a stalker, by treating each complaint in isolation rather than being part of a pattern. That, in turn, meant police and prosecutors did not see the bigger picture and appreciate the full scale of the harm being suffered by the victim. Victims' stories Image copyright Getty Images According to a report on the authorities' response to stalking, victims have faced stalking and harassment in their homes, at work, and on social media. It says one threat made to a victim stated that: "I will stay in your life forever... I will make sure nothing in your life or your family's ever runs smoothly". One victim told a researcher: "And it got to the point where I actually said to me mum one night that 'Do you know what? I'm going to be a story in the newspaper. I'm going to be another one of these girls that gets murdered by her ex'." A female bank employee told police that a male stranger kept visiting her at work, leaving gifts and following her after she finished work, to a bus stop - he had acted in a similar way with the victim's colleague. The employee was transferred to another bank branch, but the man tracked her down. She then confronted him, and he became angry. Police did not arrest or interview the man, but instead issued him with a Police Information Notice - a protection order designed to help prevent this type of offence. But the report said PINs were misused and did not cover all types of offences. Wendy Williams, who led the inspection for Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, said: "Police forces must act quickly to protect victims, including survivors of domestic abuse leaving coercive or controlling relationships. "It is not acceptable that victims and their families are left to live in fear. "While we found some evidence that the police and CPS understand the risks of the repeat behaviours... we found worrying failings at every stage, including reporting, investigation and prosecution. Changes need to be made immediately." The report calls for: A review of the key law on harassment More clearly defined offences Better risk assessments for victims Expanding court orders to cover more circumstances One procedure used to warn a suspect that they would be prosecuted if they do not stop harassing a victim was found to be so misused that the inspectors said it should be scrapped. They also warned that a proposed court order to protect victims of stalking would not help victims of harassment, such as people fleeing domestic violence. What is stalking? The report says stalking is "a pattern of unwanted, persistent pursuit and intrusive behaviour... that engenders fear and distress in the victim and is characterised by an obsessive fixation with the victim". It can include following the victim, repeatedly contacting them or trying to do so and monitoring their activity online. How is harassment different? Someone commits a crime of harassment if their behaviour is oppressive or unreasonable to such an extent that it causes alarm or distress, or puts someone in fear of violence. The Suzy Lamplugh Trust, which runs the National Stalking Helpline, said the failures identified in the report were unacceptable. And Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders said she would introduce mandatory stalking and harassment training for all prosecutors. Assistant Chief Constable Garry Sherwan, the National Police Chief Council's lead for stalking, said: "I will be writing to all chief constables to make sure officers are aware of the powers they have to tackle cases of stalking or harassment and that cases must be recorded and monitored. "We want to see numbers of people prosecuted for stalking and harassment increase." View the full article

Grenfell fire: Many survivors still in hotels 4 July 2017 From the section UK Image copyright Reuters All Grenfell Tower fire survivors who want to be rehoused have been offered temporary accommodation, officials say, but only nine offers have been accepted and many are still in hotels. Theresa May promised housing would be offered to those in need by Wednesday. The Grenfell Response Team says 139 formal offers have now been made. But North Kensington Law Centre, which represents many victims, said some had been offered accommodation in other towers, or homes without enough rooms. The fire on 14 June killed at least 80 people, although police say the final toll will not be known for many months. In the aftermath of the tragedy, the prime minister said 158 families would be offered a good quality temporary home within three weeks - a target the response team said had now been met. It said the remaining 19 families did not want to be contacted, or were out of the country. Three hospitals fail fire safety checks Reality Check: The Grenfell rehousing promise Grenfell Tower inquiry 'will be broad' Will a public inquiry deliver answers? What happened at Grenfell Tower? Grenfell Tower fire: Who were the victims? However, a spokesman for North Kensington Law Centre - which represents more than 100 Grenfell victims - said many of the offers have been unsuitable. Some of the firm's clients had been offered homes in other high-rise blocks, while some had gone to view a three-bedroom home only to discover it was a two-bedroom flat. Many had been offered a year-long tenancy and would need to be permanently rehomed afterwards. 'Traumatised' Many victims were "concerned the decision they make now could affect their long-term tenancy", he added. "Doing that from a hotel room is difficult at the best of times, let alone when you are fairly traumatised." He added: "These people do have various complex issues. "We are dealing with very traumatised people, we have a limited housing stock, we are working to a tight schedule and there is also a sense of scepticism among some residents." Only three of the firm's clients had accepted accommodation offers, he added. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionGrenfell Tower survivor Antonio is living in a hotel and has turned down two flats.One tenant from the 10th floor of Grenfell Tower, who only gave his name as Antonio, is among those who has turned down the offer of temporary accommodation. "We want to move to permanent accommodation so we can remake it and then we can call it home," he told BBC Radio 5 live. 'Listen to residents' It comes amid growing pressure for Sir Martin Moore-Bick - the judge leading the inquiry into the fire - to stand down. Earlier, Labour's Emma Dent Coad, MP for Kensington, said he was "a technocrat" who lacked "credibility" with victims. She said she had spoken to hundreds of people affected by the fire who were unhappy with Sir Martin's appointment. On Monday, lawyers representing some of the families also called for him to quit. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn stopped short of demanding his resignation, but said he should "listen to residents", while Mayor of London Sadiq Khan warned he must urgently improve relations with the area. But one senior minister, Lord Chancellor David Lidington, said he had "complete confidence" in Sir Martin, whom he believed would lead the inquiry "with impartiality and a determination to get to the truth and see justice done". Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionEmma Dent Coad tells BBC's Today a "technocrat" is not what's neededOn Sunday, Labour MP David Lammy said a "white, upper-middle class man" who had "never" visited a tower block housing estate should not have been appointed. Elsewhere, Met Police Commander Stuart Cundy and Westminster coroner Fiona Wilcox - who will lead will the inquests of the victims of the fire - are holding a private meeting with relatives. Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning View the full article

London fire: Kensington council chief quits 22 June 2017 From the section UK Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Protesters gathered outside Kensington Town Hall last week to demand support The chief executive of Kensington and Chelsea council has resigned amid criticism over the borough's response to the Grenfell Tower fire. Nicholas Holgate said Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid had asked for him to go, but Mr Javid has not commented. Mr Holgate said last week's fire in North Kensington, in which at least 79 people died, was "heart-breaking" but his presence would be a "distraction". Residents had condemned the initial relief effort as "absolute chaos". In a statement issued by the council on Wednesday, Mr Holgate, who has been in post since 2014, said it was the "highest priority" of the council to help families affected by the fire. He said the communities and local government secretary had on Tuesday "required the leader of the council to seek my resignation". 'Grief stricken' Mr Holgate said: "Despite my wish to have continued, in very challenging circumstances, to lead on the executive responsibilities of the council, I have decided that it is better to step down from my role, once an appropriate successor has been appointed. "There is a huge amount still to do for the victims of the fire, requiring the full attention of this council and many others. If I stayed in post, my presence would be a distraction." What we know so far Who are the victims? Visual guide to what happened He added: "Whilst the public inquiry and other investigations will get to the truth of the causes of this tragedy and the management of its aftermath, I strongly believe that councillors and officers have always endeavoured to have the interests of our residents at heart and will continue to do so." Nicholas Paget-Brown, the leader of the council, said it was with "regret" that he had accepted Mr Holgate's resignation. Image copyright AFP He said: "The council has been grief stricken by the tragedy of the Grenfell Tower fire and has sought to provide the greatest level of support we can to victims. "That is a huge challenge and Nicholas has led from the front in seeking to do this." The Department for Communities and Local Government would not comment on the resignation. Since the fire on 14 June, some Grenfell Tower families have been staying in hotels and B&Bs, and there were concerns that more permanent housing would be offered in other parts of the country. However, residents said Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council had provided little support or information. Government staff and other London boroughs were drafted in to help with relief efforts in the wake of the fire, with humanitarian assistance being provided by the west London borough of Ealing. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionTheresa May on Grenfell fire: "As prime minister I've taken responsibility"The council's £8.6m refurbishment of the tower has also faced questions, with suggestions that new cladding fitted during the refurbishment could have made the blaze worse. The refurbishment will be one issue looked at by a full public inquiry into the fire, ordered by Theresa May last week. The PM, who is among those to have faced criticism after she failed to meet survivors in the immediate aftermath, has apologised for "State" failures after the blaze. She is expected to make a statement about the fire in the House of Commons on Thursday. She told MPs on Wednesday: "People were left without belongings, without roofs over their heads, without even basic information about what had happened, what they should do and where they could seek help." And the government announced that 68 social housing flats in Kensington Row, about 1.5 miles away from Grenfell Tower, would be made available to survivors. Meanwhile, the funeral of 23-year-old Syrian refugee Mohammed Alhajali, who was among the first victims of the fire to be named, also took place on Wednesday. His family, who arrived from war-torn Syria, and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan attended the ceremony, called a Janazat, at an east London mosque. A number of inquests were also opened and adjourned on Wednesday, with the coroner finding: Retired lorry driver Anthony Disson, 65, died from inhalation of fire fumes Farah Hamdan, a 31-year-old nursery nurse, died from smoke inhalation Her husband, Omar Belkadi, 32, who worked as a courier, died from inhalation from fire fumes Abufars Ibrahim, a 39-year-old shopkeeper, had been visiting his mother in the tower. The coroner said he had been found at the foot of the building and died from multiple injuries Khadija Khalloufi, a 52-year-old married woman, also died from inhalation of fire fumes View the full article

Latimer Road fire: Huge fire engulfs west London flats 14 June 2017 From the section London Firefighters are tackling a huge fire in a tower block in Latimer Road, west London, with eyewitnesses saying the flames have engulfed 24 storeys. Police were called at 01:16 BST to reports of "a large fire" in the Grenfell Tower block of flats, in the Lancaster West Estate. The Metropolitan Police said "an evacuation process is under way". Eyewitnesses say the block of flights in "close to burning through". View the full article

Tories drop plan to end universal free lunches for infants 4 July 2017 From the section UK Politics comments Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Since September 2014 all infant pupils have been offered a free school meal Plans to axe free lunches for infant school children from better off families in England have been axed. Schools minister Nick Gibb said the government would "retain the existing provision", having listened "very carefully" to the views of parents. The Tory manifesto proposed restricting free lunches to infants from poorer homes - with free breakfasts for all primary school pupils funded instead. But there was no mention of the measure in last month's Queen's Speech. And Mr Gibb told MPs: "We have listened very carefully to the views of the sector on the proposal to remove infant free school meals and we have decided that it is right to retain the existing provision." The Tories have abandoned a host of proposals since failing to win a majority, including plans to means-test winter fuel payments, end the triple lock guarantee on pension increases and to hold a vote on foxhunting. Free school lunches for all infant children were introduced by the Tory-Lib Dem coalition government in 2014. Plans to limit their availability again to low-income families had proved controversial, with some parents complaining the offer of a free breakfast was not directly comparable and was merely a cost-saving measure. Many schools were also unhappy about the move, arguing they had gone to great expense to adapt their facilities to provide hot lunches. Tories pledge school cash from cutting free infant meals Fox hunting vote shelved by government During the campaign, the Conservatives argued that free breakfasts would have equal, if not greater, nutritional benefit for pupils and could be delivered at the fraction of the cost of lunches. But challenged on the policy by shadow education secretary Angela Rayner in the Commons, Mr Gibb confirmed the government had changed its mind. "Universal infant free school meals ensure children receive a nutritious meal during the day," he said. "It saves hardworking families hundreds of pounds a year and it boosts educational achievement, especially among children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds." Labour is pressing the government to clarify whether plans for free breakfasts have now been scrapped. During education questions, Mr Gibb also promised that no school would have its budget cut as a result of the national funding formula, which aims to make funding fair for schools. View the full article

Grenfell fire: MP calls for inquiry chairman to quit 4 July 2017 From the section UK Image copyright Reuters The judge heading the Grenfell Tower inquiry has been urged to stand down by the local MP for Kensington, who says they need "somebody we can trust". This follows a call on Monday for Sir Martin Moore-Bick to quit by lawyers representing some of the victims. Labour MP Emma Dent Coad said Sir Martin was "a technocrat" who lacked "credibility" with the families. Retired Court of Appeal judge Sir Martin has said he understands the "desire of local people for justice". It comes as questions are raised over the efforts being made to rehouse those left homeless by the fire on 14 June. At least 80 people are thought to have died in the Grenfell Tower fire in North Kensington, west London. The final toll may not be known until the end of the year, say police. Ms Dent Coad said: "I have been talking to hundreds of people who have been affected. "They need somebody they can talk to, somebody with a bit of a human face," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "I don't think he should do it. I don't think there will be any credibility. "Some people are saying they are not going to co-operate with it, so it's not going to work." Where have cladding fire tests failed? What happened at Grenfell Tower? Grenfell Tower fire: Who were the victims? There has been widespread criticism of Sir Martin following his appointment. Local residents have questioned whether his background in commercial law was appropriate. They have also been angered by his decision to allow Kensington Council - who was criticised for its slow and ineffective response to the disaster - to contribute to the inquiry. View the full article

Katie Rough death: Girl pleads guilty to manslaughter 3 July 2017 From the section England A 16-year-old girl has pleaded guilty to killing seven-year-old Katie Rough. The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility. Katie was found with severe lacerations to her neck and chest on a playing field in Woodthorpe, York, on 9 January. She died later in hospital. The girl entered her plea via video link at Leeds Crown Court. View the full article

Boris Johnson joins calls to end public sector pay cap 3 July 2017 From the section UK Politics Image copyright PA Boris Johnson has become the latest senior cabinet minister to put pressure on the chancellor and the PM to end the public sector pay cap. Sources close to the foreign secretary made it clear that he wants better pay for public service workers. He joins those, including Michael Gove, who have suggested the government's 1% pay cap should be lifted. Downing Street has said that any decisions on pay will be taken on a "case by case" basis. A Whitehall source said Mr Johnson "strongly" believed pay rises could be achieved in "a responsible way", without putting undue pressure on the public finances. In the Queen's Speech debate last month, Chancellor Philip Hammond made clear his aversion to higher borrowing. Tax question However, on Sunday, Environment Secretary Michael Gove appeared to reject suggestions that taxes would need to go up to meet the cost of any pay rises. Pay rises for five million public sector workers are set by independent pay review bodies, but have effectively been capped at 1% since 2013. Before that, there was a two-year freeze on pay for all but the lowest-paid workers. The Conservatives went into the election pledging to maintain the cap until 2020, but there are growing Tory calls for a rethink after the party lost its majority in the general election. The pay review bodies cover a wide range of professions, from prison officers and nurses, to judges and senior NHS managers. Those covering police and teachers' pay are due to report this month. Analysis Image copyright EPA Image caption Nurses last month held protests against the public sector pay cap BBC political correspondent Iain Watson Boris Johnson's intervention is significant because the BBC understands that some of the independent pay bodies are likely to call for pay increases above 1%. So, if ministers choose to accept those recommendations, the pay cap would in effect be breached. Mr Johnson's intervention also places more pressure on the principle of collective cabinet responsibility. Allies of both Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Education Secretary Justine Greening have made no secret of their wish to see pay policy relaxed. The debate within cabinet is now likely to focus on whether taxes should be raised or spending cut to fund any pay increases. Speaking on Sunday on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, Mr Gove did not call directly for the 1% cap to be lifted, but said ministers should respect the "integrity" of the pay review process. "I think that we should listen to the pay review bodies who govern each individual area of public sector pay," Mr Gove said. Andrew Marr suggested the cap, imposed by the chancellor, set the parameters for the bodies' recommendations. Mr Gove said the bodies took into account the cap, but also other factors, such as whether an increase in pay was needed "in order to ensure we get the very best people into the profession". Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionGove's quick-fire answers on the Andrew Marr show - Brexit and his return to the cabinetLast week Labour attempted to scrap the 1% cap but was defeated in Parliament. Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said reports on the divisions within government over public sector pay revealed there was "turmoil" in the Conservative Party. "They're saying 'Wait for the pay review bodies', even though they're the ones insisting on a 1% cap," the Labour frontbencher told Andrew Marr. "We're saying to the pay review bodies: 'Get rid of the 1% cap and give a fair pay rise.'" Asked what level of pay rise Labour thought was fair, Mr Ashworth said the pay review bodies should consider one in line with the rise in average earnings across the economy. The pressure to ease austerity has intensified since June's general election, with a number of backbench Tory MPs arguing that it cost the party votes and contributed to the loss of its majority. On Saturday, thousands of people gathered in central London for a demonstration against austerity that was addressed by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning View the full article

Lib Dems seek end to pay cap for emergency services 25 June 2017 From the section UK Politics Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Police have been stretched by attacks in London and Manchester The public sector pay cap should be scrapped in recognition of the work of the emergency services following recent disasters, says Tim Farron. The outgoing Lib Dem leader said firefighters, police and medical staff "deserve so much better". The pay cap, which has been in place since 2012, limits pay rises for public sector workers to 1% a year until 2020. Ministers have said that wage restraint in the public sector helps protect jobs and repairs the public finances. Grenfell Tower: Praise for 'heroic' firefighters UK terror attacks: Home secretary says police stretched Heroic public sector staff deserve more pay - Hunt But Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said earlier this month he had "a great deal of sympathy" for the case made by nurses for an end to the pay cap because of the "enormous amount of goodwill and time given free of charge" by staff. Labour and the Lib Dems both pledged to scrap the 1% pay cap in their 2017 manifestos. In the past few months there have been terror attacks in London and Manchester, and the Grenfell Tower fire disaster. Mr Farron said the pay cap should be replaced by pay rises in line with inflation. His party says the cap means that emergency service staff are seeing their wages cut in real terms, with the average firefighter set to be an estimated £1,423 a year worse off, in real terms, by 2020-21. Mr Farron said: "Terror attacks in London and Manchester and the Grenfell Tower tragedy have reminded us how our emergency services deal with the most terrible of events with professionalism and courage. They deserve a pay rise, not a pay cut. "This is about choices. During the election campaign, Theresa May reacted with indifference when asked why nurses were having to resort to using food banks. "But in recent months we have seen time and again that our emergency services run towards danger when others run away. They deserve so much better. "The Liberal Democrats call on the government to stand up for our firefighters, police, doctors and nurses and give them the pay rise they deserve." 'Recruit, retain, motivate' Home Secretary Amber Rudd admitted last week that terror attacks in the past three months had left police resources "pulled very tight". A Treasury spokesperson said: "The whole country truly values the extraordinary professionalism and courage that the police and the emergency services have shown in recent weeks and it is crucial that the public sector continues to recruit, retain and motivate the highest quality staff. "Pay restraint is one of the many difficult choices the government has had to make to protect jobs while helping to put the UK's public finances back on track. "The independent Office for Budget Responsibility estimates that our current pay policy will protect 200,000 public sector jobs." View the full article

No sprinklers in 300 Scottish tower blocks 3 July 2017 From the section Scotland Image copyright Getty Images Thousands of homes in tower blocks across Scotland do not have potentially life-saving sprinkler systems, a BBC Scotland investigation has found. There are no sprinklers in flats in more than 300 high-rise buildings in towns and cities across the country, including Glasgow and Edinburgh. Every high rise built in Scotland since 2005 must have sprinklers, by law. But there is no obligation on councils or social landlords to fit the systems in older tower blocks. There were no sprinkler systems in Grenfell Tower in Kensington, west London, when it was engulfed by a devastating fire last month that killed at least 80 people. It has led to renewed calls from firefighters and politicians to retrofit the devices in high-rise buildings. And the Scottish government has pledged to review the evidence about the effectiveness of the systems. An independent report published earlier this year found that sprinklers were 99% effective at controlling or extinguishing fires. Social landlords BBC Scotland contacted local authorities and housing associations across Scotland in a bid to determine how many high-rise homes were fitted with sprinklers. Of those which replied to our request, only South Ayrshire Council said it had fitted the system into flats in its tower blocks. They were fitted in 234 homes in three tower blocks in Ayr during a refurbishment of the flats in 2003. Image copyright Google Image caption Sprinkler systems are in place in flats in three tower blocks in Riverside Place in Ayr Fife Council, the City of Edinburgh Council and Glasgow Housing Association have sprinklers in their bin stores - a move being considered by Aberdeen City Council. But there are no sprinklers in high rise homes operated by the following social landlords: Aberdeen City Council (59 tower blocks) City of Edinburgh Council (48) Dundee City Council (10) Falkirk Council (13) Fife Council (12) Glasgow Housing Association (67) River Clyde Housing Association (Inverclyde) (13) North Ayrshire Council (7) North Lanarkshire Council (48) Perth and Kinross Council (6) Renfrewshire Council (14) West Dunbartonshire Council (22) (South Lanarkshire Council has not yet responded to BBC Scotland's request) There is no suggestion that any of the councils or housing associations are breaching fire regulations and they have reassured tenants about fire safety in the wake of the Grenfell tragedy. In response to the BBC Scotland inquiry, a number of landlords said they would act on any of the findings or recommendations made following the London fire. Lifesaving intervention Sprinkler systems can be a "cost effective and potentially lifesaving intervention in the early stages of a fire," according to Assistant Chief Officer David McGown, of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). Indeed, an independent report published shortly before the Grenfell tragedy found that sprinklers - or fire suppression systems - were 99% effective at controlling or extinguishing fires when they operate. The study, which was commissioned by the National Fire Chiefs Council and the National Sprinkler Network found that they reduce damage in residential properties by 75%. Lead author Peter Wood, of Edinburgh-based Optimal Economics, told BBC Scotland said he was confident of the effectiveness of sprinklers but he had "no idea" whether they would have prevented the Grenfell Tower fire. Click to see content: Effectiveness_of_sprinklers He said they "very, very occasionally" do not work when they are overwhelmed by a fire but he dismissed concerns that sprinklers could be easily triggered, causing flooding as a "myth". "Sprinklers don't go off on a whim," he said. "They need heat to go off." According to the SFRS, many sprinklers are only triggered by heats of around 68C - 11C higher than the highest temperature ever recorded in Death Valley in California. They said firefighters often use 15 times more water from hoses to do the same job as a single sprinkler. Cost benefit analysis Earlier this month Strathclyde's former chief fire officer, Brian Sweeney, said the installation of sprinklers in all high-rise buildings should be a "government priority". Writing in the Sunday Post, he said: "As a rough estimate, there is currently up to 1,000 high rise blocks across Scotland, and more could be done to improve their safety." His comments follow a 2015 report commissioned by the Scottish government which examined the "cost benefit analysis" of fitting sprinkler systems in homes across Scotland. Image copyright Getty Images It found that that the cost of fitting sprinklers in individual flats would range from around £1,000 to £3,000. And it concluded that it was not cost effective to fit sprinklers in individual houses, but a "targeted installation" would benefit at risk groups. People who live in deprived areas, those with drug and alcohol problems, or mental health problems, and elderly people are at greater risk from fire. MSP David Stewart pressed the Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Angela Constance, on the issue in the Scottish Parliament earlier this week. "The cabinet secretary will be well aware from the Scottish government's own 2015 report that almost a third of accidental dwelling fires and deaths occur in the 15% most-deprived areas, yet there have been no multiple fire deaths in Scotland where a working sprinkler system has been installed," he said. He told BBC Scotland he would like to see sprinklers installed in the homes of vulnerable people, which included tower blocks. Ms Constance has agreed to meet Mr Stewart - a member of the cross-party working group on accident prevention - to discuss the issue. The Scottish government has confirmed that the provision of sprinklers will be considered in a review of fire legislation and building regulations - to which the fire service will contribute. Image copyright EPA Image caption Police fear that around 80 people have died in the fire at the Grenfell tower block Assistant Chief Officer David McGown said: "The SFRS recognises the value these installations can add whilst acknowledging that they may not be appropriate in all cases when applied on a risk basis." He added: "The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service works closely with local authorities and housing associations to help ensure the safety of occupants in high rise buildings. The SFRS is here to support communities most notably through our free home fire safety visits." A spokesman for the Scottish government said: "While we continue to be confident that we have stringent building and fire safety regulations which contribute to keeping people safe, following the tragic events at Grenfell Tower it is imperative that we undertake a thorough and critical review of our regulations. "The Ministerial Working Group overseeing this process will consider all relevant measures to ensure the safety of residents in high-rise domestic buildings, including a review of evidence on fire suppression systems." View the full article

Drone causes disruption at Gatwick airport 2 July 2017 From the section UK Image copyright PA Image caption At least two flights were diverted because of the drone flying near the runway A drone flying close to Gatwick airport has led to the closure of the runway and forced at least least two flights to be diverted. A spokesman for the airport said the runway was closed for two short periods of nine minutes and five minutes on Sunday evening. Gatwick said one plane had been sent to Stansted, whilst British Airways said another had gone to Bournemouth. Sussex Police are investigating the incident. Other flights had to circle above the airport as a precaution. A statement from the airport said: "Due to reports of a drone observation in the vicinity of the airfield, runway operations at Gatwick were suspended between 18:10 BST and 1819, and again from 1836 to 1841, resulting in a small number of go-arounds and diverts. "Operations have resumed and the police continue to investigate." 'Lots of babies' Passengers have told the BBC they were diverted mid-flight. Craig Jenkins was flying back with EasyJet from Naples in Italy when his flight was diverted. "We were crossing over the Channel and it started circling," he said. "It did four or five circles, heading further east, before the captain said we were landing at Stansted. "First, they said Gatwick was closed because of an incident. Then, shortly after, they said it was a drone." Mr Jenkins, who is from Greenwich, London, said passengers were being given the choice of getting off or waiting an hour and flying back to Gatwick. "If one person gets off here, all the bags need to get off," he added. "There are lots of babies on this flight. I feel for the parents." Aborted landing Niamh Slatter, from Sussex, was flying home from Valencia, Spain, when her BA flight was diverted to Bournemouth. "We were due to land 15 minutes early, but ended up circling over the south coast for a while," she said. "The crew were brilliant and explained that we were being held due to a drone in the airspace at Gatwick but that they would tell us when they had more information. "Our attempted landing at Gatwick was aborted quite late as the drone had been spotted again, so we were told that the flight was being diverted to Bournemouth airport. "The crew aboard the plane have been brilliant, as have the staff at Bournemouth, on standby ready for us and other planes that would be landing." View the full article

Grenfell Tower fire: No prosecutions for subletting of flats, government promises 2 July 2017 From the section UK Image caption At least 80 people are thought to have been killed in the fire No-one will be prosecuted for illegally subletting a Grenfell Tower flat, the government says, as work continues to identify all those killed in the fire. It says its priority is supporting survivors and identifying loved ones and is urging people to help. At least 80 people are thought to have died in the fire at the west London block and it's feared the full death toll won't be known for months. Meanwhile cladding on 181 blocks in 51 areas has now failed fire safety tests. Cladding from as many as 600 tower blocks across England is being tested as it is thought Grenfell Tower's recently-installed cladding may have helped the fire to spread. All of the material checked so far in the wake of the tragedy on 14 June has failed the tests. However, the Department for Communities and Local Government said it was testing the buildings it was most worried about first. Six questions for Grenfell investigation What we know so far A visual guide to what happened at Grenfell Tower Grenfell Tower fire: Who were the victims? Earlier this week, police warned it would not know the final death toll until at least the end of the year and appealed for the public to come forward with any information about those who were inside at the time of the fire on 14 June. The Metropolitan Police and Home Office have also both said they are not interested in the immigration status of anyone living in the building. 'Public interest' Legal guidance telling prosecutors not to bring charges for subletting given the "public interest" in identifying the victims has been issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Alison Saunders. "It is a priority for investigators to establish who was in Grenfell Tower on that tragic day and it is crucial that we do everything possible to support them," she said. The decision was made alongside the Attorney General, Jeremy Wright QC, who added: "Every piece of information will help the authorities accurately identify who was in the flats at the time of the fire. "I hope this statement provides some much needed clarity to residents and the local community, and encourages anyone with information to come forward." Announcing the move, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid added: "Supporting those affected by the tragic events at Grenfell Tower has been the absolute priority of the government - that includes making sure that loved ones still missing are identified. "Therefore I would urge those with information to come forward without fear of prosecution." Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Supporters of Grenfell survivors took part in anti-government protests in London on Saturday The news follows an announcement by Kensington and Chelsea Council that it would suspend the rents of those forced to leave their homes after the fire. Residents living in nearby buildings - the so-called finger blocks - have been without hot water since the neighbourhood's boiler was destroyed during the fire. Now the council has confirmed their rent will be suspended until at least January 2018 and any rent deducted since 14 June will be refunded. It comes after a victims' group said one resident had had rent deducted from their bank account since the fire. 'No energy' The west London council has been heavily criticised for its response to the disaster, leading this week to the resignation of its leader, Nicholas Paget-Brown, and his deputy, Rock Feilding-Mellen. Robert Atkinson, leader of the opposition on Kensington and Chelsea council, told the BBC: "I still have residents who are not housed. "I still have residents have no hot water and I have got residents living in hotels which they are now sharing with Wimbledon spectators. That is not a satisfactory situation." Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionConservative councillor Catherine Faulks apologises over victim rent blunderSid-Ali Atmani, who lived on the 15th floor with his family and is currently in a hotel, told the BBC: "Still we haven't any improvement regarding our situation. Our personal opinion is [that it is] a failure for people who are responsible for that." A Kensington and Chelsea council spokesman said: "We are focused on the needs of all affected residents, including those from Barandon Walk, Testerton Walk and Hurstway [the finger blocks]. "This group of residents have suffered a huge disruption to their lives as they were evacuated from their homes." He added that the council expected to have the hot water supply restored in the next week. He said some had gone back to their homes, but the council would continue to provide temporary accommodation for those who did not want to return. 'Systemic issues' Meanwhile, Labour MP David Lammy, whose friend Khadija Saye died in the fire, told Sky News that the retired judge leading the public inquiry, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, would have to maintain the confidence of survivors. "The job is not just to be independent and judicious - I am sure he is eminently legally qualified, of course he is - it is also to be empathetic and walk with these people on this journey," he said. Yvette Williams, from the Justice 4 Grenfell campaign group, told Sky News they would boycott the public inquiry into the tragedy if it did not have a wide remit and address "systemic issues". Did you live in Grenfell Tower? Or are you part of the local community? What's your experience of the council's response to the fire? Email [email protected]. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: WhatsApp: +44 7555 173285 Send pictures/video to [email protected] Upload your pictures / video here Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 Or use the form below Your contact details Name (optional) Your E-mail address (required) Town & Country (optional) Your telephone number (optional) Comments (required) If you are happy to be contacted by a BBC journalist please leave a telephone number that we can contact you on. In some cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name as you provide it and location, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. When sending us pictures, video or eyewitness accounts at no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. Please ensure you have read the terms and conditions. Terms and conditions View the full article

Pressure grows on No 10 to scrap public sector pay cap 2 July 2017 From the section UK Politics Image copyright EPA Pay review bodies' recommendations for public sector jobs should be respected by ministers, Michael Gove has said. The environment secretary said that while ministers needed to reduce the deficit, they should also respect the "integrity" of the pay review process. His comments come as the prime minister and chancellor face increasing pressure from ministers and backbenchers to end the current 1% public sector pay cap. It follows demands within the party for an easing up of austerity. Speaking to the Sunday Times, Mr Gove said: "You've got to listen to the public sector pay review bodies. "When they made recommendations on school teachers' pay, I think I always accepted them. "My colleagues who deal with these pay review bodies would want to respect the integrity of that process." Cabinet split Pay rises for five million public sector workers are set by independent pay review bodies, but have effectively been capped at 1% since 2013, before which there was a two-year freeze on pay for all but the lowest-paid workers. The Conservatives went into the election pledging to maintain the cap until 2020, but some MPs are now calling for a rethink after the party lost its majority. Some pay review bodies are expected to call for pay rises that exceed the government's cap. The cabinet is split on the principle of scrapping the cap, but it could be dismantled bit by bit. This month, two review bodies - dealing with the pay of police and teachers - will make recommendations. Last year, the teachers' body said there was a case for an increase above 1%, and the police body expressed concerns about low morale in the force. Deciphering the public sector pay hints Public sector pay cap 'under review' Thousands join anti-government protest Analysis Image copyright Reuters By BBC political correspondent Iain Watson Privately, ministers believe it is perfectly possible that at least some of the pay review bodies - which also cover health service workers, prison officers and senior public servants - will call for average increases of more than 1%. A government minister with good links to Downing Street told the BBC that review body recommendations would be honoured, even if this breaches the current pay cap. But No 10 insists that ministers will decide whether to accept recommendations on a case-by-case basis. So while the pay cap may not be abolished for every public sector employee all at once, it is possible that its erosion will begin soon. Mr Gove's interview coincides with reports in some of Sunday's newspapers of a growing revolt within the Conservative Party over its approach to austerity and public spending. The Observer says there is a "chorus of demands" from within the party for a radical overhaul of state funding, with cabinet ministers and senior MPs calling for more money for NHS workers and schools, as well as a "national debate" on tuition fees. According to the paper, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Education Secretary Justine Greening are lobbying for an easing of austerity. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption An anti-austerity rally in London on Saturday addressed by Jeremy Corbyn attracted thousands of people The paper says the pressure to abandon austerity puts Chancellor Philip Hammond under pressure to consider raising taxes to fund any extra public spending. The Telegraph, meanwhile, reports that Ms Greening has told Prime Minister Theresa May she wants the government to abandon plans to cut per pupil funding over the coming years. The paper says it is understood the education secretary wants a public statement within weeks outlining the change in direction so that schools know the funding they are to receive before they break up for the summer holidays. Image copyright EPA According to the paper, the proposal would mean spending an extra £1.2bn by 2022. The pressure to ease austerity has intensified since June's general election, with a number of backbench MPs arguing that it cost the party votes and contributed to the loss of its majority. On Saturday thousands of people gathered in central London for a demonstration against austerity that was addressed by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning View the full article

Grenfell Tower fire: Government to 'keep eye' on council 1 July 2017 From the section UK Image copyright AFP/Getty Images The government will keep "a close eye" on Kensington and Chelsea council after its leader quit over the Grenfell Tower fire, the communities secretary says. Sajid Javid said it was "right" that Nicholas Paget-Brown stepped down and said the process to select a successor would be "independent of government". London mayor Sadiq Khan has called for commissioners to take over the council. Earlier, a victims' group said one resident had had rent deducted from their bank account since the fire. At least 80 people are believed to have died as fire engulfed the Grenfell Tower block, in west London, on 14 June. Mr Javid said: "It is right the council leader stepped down given the initial response to the Grenfell tragedy," adding: "If we need to take further action, we won't hesitate to do so." Cladding 'changed to cheaper version' How flammable cladding gets approved What happened at Grenfell Tower? Grenfell Tower fire: Who were the victims? Mr Paget-Brown resigned following sustained criticism of the council and an aborted meeting of its cabinet on Thursday, from which leaders had tried to ban members of the public and press. Yvette Williams, co-ordinator of the Justice4Grenfell campaign, said one former Grenfell Tower resident had had rent deducted from their bank account since the tragedy. The survivor, who is housed in a hotel, got her bank card back and only realised that the rent had been taken when she went to withdraw funds from a cash point, Ms Williams said. "It's just disgusting," she added. Kensington and Chelsea council said to the best of its knowledge rent charges for Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk had been stopped. "We are very sorry if this has happened and we are working to find out who has been affected so we can offer reassurance and an immediate refund," a council statement said. "But if anyone has had money inadvertently taken as part of a direct debit or standing order we will make arrangements to have it immediately refunded." Did you live in Grenfell Tower? Or are you part of the local community? What's your experience of the council's response to the fire? Email [email protected]. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: WhatsApp: +44 7555 173285 Send pictures/video to [email protected] Upload your pictures / video here Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 Or use the form below Your contact details Name (optional) Your E-mail address (required) Town & Country (optional) Your telephone number (optional) Comments (required) If you are happy to be contacted by a BBC journalist please leave a telephone number that we can contact you on. In some cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name as you provide it and location, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. When sending us pictures, video or eyewitness accounts at no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. Please ensure you have read the terms and conditions. Terms and conditions View the full article

Council leader to quit over fire response 30 June 2017 From the section England Kensington and Chelsea Council leader Nick Paget-Brown has resigned following continued criticism of the council's handling of the Grenfell Tower tragedy. Mr Paget-Brown faced calls to resign from London Mayor Sadiq Khan and a number of other senior politicians. It comes a day after an aborted meeting of the council's cabinet in which leaders had tried to ban members of the public. That decision led to a rebuke from Downing Street on Friday. View the full article

Grenfell Tower: Cladding 'changed to cheaper version' By Tom Symonds and Daniel De Simone BBC News 30 June 2017 From the section UK Cladding fitted to Grenfell Tower during its refurbishment was changed to a cheaper version, documents obtained by the BBC suggest. Documents show the aluminium cladding was less fire-resistant than zinc, thereby saving nearly £300,000. The cladding - fitted as part of the refurbishment of the west London tower - is thought to have contributed to the fire that killed at least 80 people. There is no suggestion a deliberate decision was made to cut fire safety. Failed safety tests In 2014, contractors working for Kensington and Chelsea Council were asked to replace zinc cladding with a more economical aluminium version. Police investigating the disaster have said the tower's cladding has subsequently failed safety tests. Judge 'doubt' over inquiry scope Why don't we know how many died? A guide to what happened One of the documents obtained by the BBC is a list of requested savings sent to contractors in July 2014, including £293,368 that would be saved by fitting "aluminium cladding in lieu of zinc cladding". The switch allowed for a change of colour, but the BBC has been told another key reason was to save money. Earlier planning documents suggest the original plan was for zinc cladding with a fire-retardant core. Residents had also been told their new cladding would be made of zinc. Both types of cladding have the same fire official rating. Reduce building costs The savings were part of an ongoing effort by the council and the local tenant management organisation to drive down the cost of the £10m refurbishment. A source close to one of the many companies involved in the project said the change was typical of constant pressure by councils to reduce the costs of building refurbishments. Council minutes from 2013 show dissatisfaction with the initially-preferred contractor for not keeping the scheme within budget. Further bids were invited, and this led to the appointment of a different contractor in 2014 which was then asked to make savings including on the cladding. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has promised to co-operate fully with all investigations into the fire. View the full article

Grenfell Tower fire: Judge 'doubt' over inquiry scope 29 June 2017 From the section UK Image copyright PA Image caption Sir Martin visited the scene of the fire The judge heading the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire says he is "doubtful" the process will be as wide-ranging as some residents hope. Sir Martin Moore-Bick said the probe could be limited to the cause, how it spread, and preventing a future blaze. He was speaking after travelling to the site of the fire in North Kensington and meeting some of the survivors. Some Grenfell residents have said they were unhappy at not being involved in Sir Martin's appointment. The judge said: "I'm well aware the residents and the local people want a much broader investigation and I can fully understand why they would want that - whether my inquiry is the right way in which to achieve that I'm more doubtful." Police said 80 people are now presumed dead after the fire but the final toll may not be known until at least the end of the year. Adele pays tribute to Grenfell victims 'Stop testing cladding,' says housing boss Guide to what happened No final Grenfell death toll 'this year' Why people invent fake victims Prime Minister Theresa May told MPs she expects Sir Martin will want to produce an interim report "as early as possible" to address the immediate lessons from the fire. "I am determined that there will be justice for all the victims of this terrible tragedy and for their families who have suffered so terribly," she added. View the full article

Queen's Speech: Labour to force vote on public pay cap 28 June 2017 From the section UK Politics Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionJeremy Corbyn calls for a reversal of emergency services cutsLabour is to table an amendment to the Queen's Speech calling for the 1% public sector pay cap and cuts to the police and emergency services to end. Jeremy Corbyn says the amendment, which will be voted on on Wednesday, will be a "test case" of MPs' willingness to oppose further austerity measures. He will say firefighters who fought the Grenfell Tower blaze "deserve" a rise after seven years of near stagnation. The Conservatives are expected to win a vote with Democratic Unionist support. It comes as the Labour leader prepares to face Theresa May on Wednesday in the first Prime Minister's Questions since the election. Mrs May has been under pressure since losing her Commons majority, while Mr Corbyn has urged Labour to remain in campaign mode, reportedly saying he could be in power within six months. Unions criticise 1% pay rise for public sector workers Grenfell Tower- Praise for 'heroic' firefighters May and DUP deal: What you need to know MPs will be asked to approve the Queen's Speech, the government's legislative programme for the next two years, in the House of Commons on Thursday, This will effectively amount to a vote of confidence in Mrs May's minority government. The Conservatives' deal with the Democratic Unionists - which will see the Northern Ireland party's 10 MPs line up behind the government in key votes - gives them a working majority of 13 and means they are in little danger of losing. 'Fair rise' But Mr Corbyn will seek to increase pressure on the government by forcing a separate vote on Wednesday on the issue of continued austerity - about which some Tory MPs have expressed concerns. He will say public sector workers have been "denied" a pay rise for seven years and this "must change". Labour's amendment praises the response of the emergency services to the deadly fire in the west London tower block, which killed at least 79 people, as well as to the terror attacks in London and Manchester. But it calls on the government to recruit more police officers and firefighters and to give the emergency services and other public sector workers a "fair pay rise". Image copyright EPA Image caption Labour says 40 fire stations have closed since 2010 Pay rises for five million public sector workers have effectively been capped at 1% since 2013, before which there was a two-year freeze on pay for all but the lowest-paid workers. In their manifesto, Labour pledged to lift the pay cap but said it would be up to the public sector pay review bodies to decide what level of increase was appropriate and financially sustainable. Mr Corbyn rejected suggestions he was trying to make political capital out of the Grenfell fire, pointing out that the party had called for higher pay and an end to cuts before the disaster. "I would have thought the Grenfell fire has concentrated the minds of a lot of people on the wonderful work done by the police, fire and ambulance services," he said. There was a clear sense, he added, of the "way in which they are stretched and the trauma with which all workers in those services go through - we think they need more money to be paid into those services and more staff in them". Image copyright AFP Image caption Ministers argue pay restraint has helped support employment levels During a debate on health, care and security, Labour will also demand a commitment from the government that it will not cut police or fire service personnel numbers in the current Parliament. The opposition, which focused much of its election campaign on the fall in police numbers since 2010, says it would hire 10,000 new police officers and 3,000 firefighters. It has claimed fire and rescue budgets were cut by 30% between 2010 and 2015, and a further 20% cuts are envisaged between 2015 and 2020. "You can't have safety and security on the cheap," Mr Corbyn added. "It is plain to see seven years of cuts to our emergency services has made us less safe." The Conservatives went into the election pledging to maintain the public sector pay cap until 2020, but some MPs are now calling for a rethink after the party lost its majority. Davis slams 'badly designed' campaign Tories 'wrong' to base campaign on PM Chancellor Philip Hammond has acknowledged that many people are "weary" after years of pay restraint and falls in their real-terms incomes. He has pushed back his predecessor George Osborne's target for eliminating the deficit to 2025. But he has insisted that the Conservatives need to continue to make the case for sound public finances as the basis for increased spending on the NHS, police and other services. A Conservative spokesman said the country was "indebted" to the heroism of the police and emergency services, but Labour's proposed tax rises and higher borrowing would threaten investment in them. "The truth is you can't fund your emergency services without a growing, healthy economy - which only Conservatives in government will deliver," he said. "That's why we have put forward a Queen's Speech that will build a stronger economy so we can improve people's living standards and fund public services." 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Hillsborough disaster: Charges decision due 28 June 2017 From the section Liverpool Image copyright Hillsborough Inquests Image caption Ninety-six football fans were fatally injured in a crush at Hillsborough stadium in 1989 A decision on whether individuals and organisations will face criminal charges over the Hillsborough disaster will be announced later. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will reveal its intentions at a meeting with victims' relatives at 11:00 BST. Ninety-six football fans were fatally injured in the 1989 stadium disaster. Margaret Aspinall, whose 18-year-old son died, said: "Hopefully this is the journey to the end, completely, of Hillsborough." Last year, new inquests into the disaster in Sheffield concluded the fans had been unlawfully killed. In January, files of evidence relating to 23 suspects were referred to the CPS to decide whether charges should be brought. Image caption Inquests into the disaster at Sheffield Wednesday's stadium concluded the fans had been unlawfully killed Of these, 15 relate to the Operation Resolve investigation into the causes of the disaster, which unfolded at the start of an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on 15 April 1989. The other eight relate to an Independent Police Complaints Commission probe into the conduct of both South Yorkshire Police and West Midlands Police in the days and weeks afterwards. Relatives have been invited to a private meeting in Warrington, where they will be informed of the decisions by Sue Hemming, head of the special crime and counter-terrorism division at the CPS. 'Mixed emotions' Mrs Aspinall, chairwoman of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, said waiting for the decisions had been "a long, long struggle for everybody". She added: "We've got to wait with anticipation to see what happens. "It is going to be a day of mixed emotions for the families and we have had so many of them. "Whatever happens, I still think it will be a long road, but the families are determined to never give up. "All we want is accountability, nothing more and nothing less." View the full article

Grenfell Tower fire: Theresa May calls for cladding investigation 27 June 2017 From the section UK Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Nearby residents are scrutinising the response in the aftermath of the fire There should be a "major national investigation" into the use of cladding on high-rise towers, Theresa May says. It comes as it was revealed cladding from 95 towers in 32 local authority areas in England had failed fire safety tests - all of the samples submitted after the Grenfell Tower fire. The probe could be a second phase of the public inquiry into the west London fire, the PM's official spokesman said. At least 79 people are feared to have been killed in the blaze on 14 June. Earlier, an open letter to Mrs May from residents on the west London estate warned that the investigation of the fire must leave "no stone unturned". 'No stone unturned' Before Grenfell, tower block fires in England were at an at least seven-year low, figures show. According to newly released Home Office statistics, there were 714 fires in purpose-built blocks of 10 storeys or more in England in the 12 months to April - compared with 1,261 fires in 2009-10. Of those high-rise fires last year, 56 spread further than the "room of origin" and three people died, compared with 12 fatalities in 2009-10. Who are the victims? Guide to what happened? Six questions for the investigation In an open letter released on Tuesday morning, people who live at the Hurstway, Testerton, Barandon and Grenfell Walks on the Lancaster West estate said: "The investigation must leave no stone unturned. "It must identify each and every individual and organisation who must bear responsibility and accountability for this tragedy and the mishandling of the aftermath. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionGrenfell locals Layla and Hassin on how they're coping with mental health issues"There must be swift recommendations to ensure there can be no chance of a repeat of this disaster elsewhere. It said the bereaved families and survivors needed time to recover and grieve - "not least in view of the paucity of support they have been afforded by the state and its agencies in the immediate aftermath". The blaze, believed to have started in a fridge-freezer, destroyed 151 homes in the north Kensington block and in the surrounding area of the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The response to the fire has come under scrutiny. 'Massive inconsistency' Questions were raised about the cladding used on Grenfell in the immediate aftermath of the disaster and a nation-wide operation has taken place to identify and test buildings with similar cladding. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption"I can't do that to her": Sabah Abdullah lost his wife in the Grenfell Tower fireThe firm that supplied Grenfell Tower's cladding has ended global sales of the product for use in high-rise blocks. Where have cladding tests failed? Tower fails preliminary tests But it is no "great surprise" samples have failed fire tests, director of the Centre for Window and Cladding Technology David Metcalfe said. He said it was never "entirely clear" under the regulations whether or not the products used in cladding had to be of limited combustibility. What a filler material consists of is not defined, he explained, and regulations do not say "specifically the cladding should be of limited combustibility". "Timber isn't an insulation product, it's not a filler material, so there's nothing stopping you using timber on a high-rise building - but the government now are saying that all cladding should be of limited combustibility - there is a massive inconsistency there." The government had a new "strict interpretation" of the rules, he said. The letter from residents, part of the Justice4Grenfell campaign, demanded their voices were "heard and fully included" in the inquiry into the blaze. "We support the survivors and mourn the dead - they are our families, friends and neighbours, many of whom are still missing," it said. Mrs May ordered a full public inquiry into the fire the day after it happened. The group said bereaved families and survivors should be given funding for legal representation in that probe. View the full article

Conservatives agree pact with DUP to support May government 26 June 2017 From the section UK Politics Image copyright PA Image caption The talks have taken two weeks to conclude The Conservatives have reached an agreement with the Democratic Unionists which will see them support Theresa May's minority government. The deal comes after two weeks of talks between the parties since the election resulted in a hung Parliament. The DUP's 10 MPs will back the Tories in key Commons votes, starting with the Queen's Speech later this week, but there will be no formal coalition. The talks focused on financial support for Northern Ireland and Brexit. The DUP has claimed the UK government has agreed to improve the treatment of military veterans in Northern Ireland as part of the agreement but played down reports that it had sought £2bn in extra funding for Northern Ireland in return for their support. BBC Politics Live: Rolling text and video updates Military Covenant 'part of DUP-Tory deal' DUP MP plays down reports of £2bn deal Mrs May shook hands with DUP leader Arlene Foster as she and other senior party figures arrived at Downing Street on Monday to finalise the pact. The two leaders then watched as Conservative chief whip Gavin Williamson and his DUP counterpart Jeffrey Donaldson signed the documents in No 10. Under the so-called "confidence and supply" arrangement, the DUP will line up behind the government in key votes, such as on the Queen's Speech and Budgets, which would threaten the government's survival if they were lost. On other legislation, however, the DUP's support is not necessarily guaranteed - although the Northern Ireland party is expected to back the majority of the government's programme for the next two years after many of its more controversial policies were dropped. Image caption The two sides met in the Cabinet room Theresa May fell nine seats short of an overall majority after the snap election, meaning she is reliant on other parties to pass legislation, including relating to the terms of the UK's withdrawal from the EU. The support of the DUP will give her an effective working majority of 13, given that Sinn Fein do not take up their seven seats and Speaker John Bercow and his three deputies - two of whom are Labour MPs - do not take part in votes. Several senior Tories had advised her to govern without any formal agreement with the DUP, arguing the unionist party would not be prepared to bring Mrs May down and run the risk of triggering a fresh election given their longstanding hostility to Jeremy Corbyn and other senior Labour figures. Former PM Sir John Major warned that a formal association with the DUP could undermine attempts to restore power-sharing government in Northern Ireland while some MPs said the DUP's socially conservative stance on issues such as gay marriage and abortion could damage the party in the longer term. Labour have demanded details of how much the deal will cost UK taxpayers and what financial promises have been made. But the Tories and DUP have said the pact will give the UK much-needed stability as it embarks on the Brexit process. View the full article