Grenfell Tower fire: Police are investigating corporate manslaughter charges

Met Police are investigating possible corporate manslaughter charges, misconduct in public office and potential breaches of fire safety regulations in relation to the Grenfell Tower disaster, a public inquiry has heard.

Police previously warned that corporations could face manslaughter charges in the wake of the fire which left 71 people dead in June. Kensington and Chelsea Council and the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation were also warned they could face prosecution.

An inquiry into the tragedy has now been told that police are looking into bringing further potential charges, but have not named any specific individuals or organisations.

Police said they have acquired more than 31 million documents and heard from more than 1100 witnesses and 280 companies during their investigation into the blaze at the 24-storey tower block.

Jeremy Johnson, representing Met police, said the scale of the Grenfell inquiry is "unprecedented" outside of major counter-terrorism operations.

The announcement arrives after the Equality and Human Rights Commission said it will also be launching an investigation into whether authorities failed the protect the lives of its citizens with regards to the fire.

David Isaac, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission said: "From the right to life to the duty to provide adequate housing, there are several areas where the State fell short in its duties to its citizens and these must be properly addressed.

"The official public inquiry is rightly looking at the building, fire and safety measures, property management and the events of the fire itself, but we believe our expertise in equality and human rights laws is essential in determining the extent to which the State failed, not only the residents of Grenfell Tower, but also those who witnessed the fire and have endured harm, physically or emotionally, as a result of it."

Elsewhere, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had said it is a "disgrace" that a majority of the survivors of the fire are still homeless six months on.

Only 42 households from the tower have moved into permanent new homes, with 118 still in emergency accommodation, including 103 in hotels.

The government's Housing minister Alok Sharma warned it could take the up to 12 months to rehouse all the displaced families.