The Bishop of Manchester has criticised the construction industry for lobbying and making political donations in the wake of the Grenfell fire.

David Walker said it could not be a coincidence that this was happening at the same time as leaseholders of flats with dangerous cladding were facing enormous individual bills to make their blocks safe. Some leaseholders in high-risk blocks have been left with bills running into the hundreds of thousands and flats that are worthless.

Walker, writing in the Observer, said he and residents’ groups such as the Manchester Cladiators were taking their message that the “polluter pays” to the Conservative party conference in Manchester, which housing secretary Michael Gove is due to address at 2pm today.

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