The inquiry is revealing how crony capitalism was central to the causes of the tragedy
It is not just the broken promise, it is also the pitilessness of it. In February, Boris Johnson told parliament, in the wake of the cladding scandal, that “no leaseholder should have to pay for the unaffordable costs of fixing defects that they didn’t cause”.
The fire safety bill became law last week, but only after MPs five times rejected attempts to provide financial support for leaseholders facing ruinous costs for the replacement of inflammable cladding. There is a fund of £5bn to support leaseholders in taller tower blocks, although the real cost of replacing the cladding could be three times that amount. For leaseholders in blocks under 18 metres high there is not even inadequate support.
