The final report into the Grenfell Tower Fire has identified failings from governments, local authorities, and industry manufacturers, finding a combination of deregulation, incompetence, and ‘dishonesty and greed’ caused the avoidable deaths of the 72 people who were killed in the fire.

Grenfell United, a group of survivors and bereaved families, described the report as a ‘damning indictment’, which ‘speaks to a lack of competence, understanding and a fundamental failure to perform the most basic of duties of care’. They say the report showed their submissions that Arconic, Kingspan and Celotex were ‘little better than crooks and killers’ was ‘entirely true’.

Response to the inquiry’ recommendations has been mixed. Justice, the legal reform charity, drew attention to the earlier recommendations of the inquiry which ‘have been kicked into the long grass’. ‘Inquiries too often give the appearance of change without actual change… public inquiries can only prevent future harm if their findings are acted on.’

They echoed the call for a public record of recommendations, but went further in demanding a national oversight mechanism to hold accountable those responsible for acting on inquiry recommendations. The charity INQUEST has made similar calls.

Others have been more critical. Justice4Grenfell described the recommendations as offering ‘almost…a veneer of change’.

The Fire Brigades Union said ‘the fire was the result of decades of failure by the government to regulate the building industry – the prioritisation of private profit over human life… The government must go further than what is set out in this report. The deregulation of recent decades must be comprehensively reversed.’

Others have noted the lack of recommendations for social housing reform. Although the report made ‘stinging criticism’ of housing management bodies’ ‘chronic and systemic’ safety failings, the report ‘did not consider it necessary’ to make recommendations in light of new legislation. The former chair of the Grenfell Tower Leaseholder Association said ‘this should have been the first priority in their findings. We feel we have been let down by the inquiry on tenants and leaseholders rights.’