Building materials in London fire under scrutiny

The shadow Brexit Secretary, who is also the former Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), revealed prosecutors were now part of the investigation.

Detectives investigating the fire at Grenfell Tower have today released their first images and footage from inside the building.

Father's Day cards were among the tributes left close to the charred remains of the tower on Sunday, while firefighters leaving the scene were greeted by cheers and applause from the local community.

He told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "My understanding is the cladding in question, this flammable cladding which is banned in Europe and the U.S., is also banned here".

Adding: "When we were looking at this when I was DPP in relation to other fires, we were looking at manslaughter charges".

"There are wider regulatory offences but I think manslaughter is the most serious and that's the one that needs to be looked at first".

"There are two separate questions".

It was reported that the material used in the cladding covering Grenfell was Reynobond PE - a cheaper, more flammable version of two available options.

The government on Saturday promised a public inquiry and police have opened a criminal investigation.

Construction began on the Grenfell Tower in the early 1970s, during the tenure of Edward Heath's Conservative Party government.

He has also demanded confirmation that the scope of the police investigation into the tragedy would not be hampered by the public inquiry announced on Friday.

Volunteers and community organisers involved in the Grenfell response have repeatedly voiced frustration at the lack of official support from the council and the central government.

A senior United Kingdom government minister said Sunday that he believed the cladding apparently used in a recent refurbishment of the London high-rise devastated by a blaze is banned in Britain for buildings above a certain height.

Trade Minister Greg Hands added that the government is conducting what he called an "urgent inspection" of some 2,500 other tower blocks across Britain to evaluate their safety.

The 1974 concrete building had recently been fitted with new insulation cladding. Some fire officials said they had never seen a building fire move so quickly.

The cladding used to insulate Grenfell Tower, widely blamed for spreading the devastating blaze, is banned in Britain, Philip Hammond has said.

Reports suggest that a renovation project on Grenfell Tower previous year intentionally did not include safety devices such as sprinklers and doors created to keep the fire from spreading.

A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government told CNN that the use of a composite aluminum panel with a polyethylene core would breach current United Kingdom building regulations guidance, which says this material should not be used as cladding on buildings over 18 meters (59 feet) in height.

They said: "We naturally welcome funds for those in need, though this does show once more the tendency to sideline residents' views".

He said all records, including emails, minutes of meetings, correspondence with contractors, safety assessments, specifications and reports must be kept intact. "When the truth comes out about this tragedy, we may find that there is blood on the hands of a number of organizations".

Police Commander Stuart Cundy says police will seek criminal prosecutions if the evidence warrants.

Homeless Grenfell Tower victims will receive at least £5500 ($9670) in a Government payout, the Sun reports.

She told ITV's Peston on Sunday: "There is money pouring in from all these awesome volunteers, we can't get access to the money and we cannot get it to the families".

Police in London have said 58 people are now presumed dead following the blaze at the tower block.

No. 10 officials said support workers would ensure people could access the cash - including those who may not have a bank account.