More than 50 tower-block owners are still refusing to remove dangerous Grenfell-style cladding, Theresa May has admitted – seven months after the government vowed to act.

The prime minister was accused of overseeing a “stench of complacency”, putting lives in jeopardy, 19 months after the catastrophic fire in the London high-rise that claimed 72 lives.

Last June, Ms May first threatened to force private owners of blocks to pay up for the work and her then-local government minister vowed that a solution would be “put in place swiftly”.

Facing fierce questioning in the Commons, she insisted cladding had, or would be, removed at more than 200 buildings, but added: “There are 56 owners that are refusing to remediate.”

The admission came after Sarah Jones, a Labour MP, warned the tragedy at Grenfell remained “just the tip of the iceberg”, affecting many thousands of people.

“The prime minister promised, after the Grenfell tower fire, that she would do whatever it takes to keep our people safe,” she said, at prime minister’s questions.

“Today, 19 months on, the vast majority, 85 per cent, of the hundreds of blocks draped in exactly the same highly-flammable cladding are still covered.

“Thousands of council and private buildings across the country don’t have sprinklers, despite the fire service saying they are essential.”

Condemning a “stench of complacency”, the Croydon Central MP added: “When will the prime minister be able to tell this country that she has honoured her promise?”

Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Show all 31 1 /31 Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Jeremy Corbyn hugs a woman after the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Prince Harry leaving after the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures A woman appears emotional as she leaves the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Jeremy Corbyn consoles a mourner AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Mourners carry pictures of victims of the fire and white roses as they leave St Paul's cathedral AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Mourners carry white roses as they leave St Paul's cathedral after attending a Grenfell Tower National Memorial service AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Jeremy Corbyn consoles a relative of a victim AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Mourners leave after attending the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Labour opposition party leader Jeremy Corbyn embraces a mourner AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures People hold photos and flowers as they leave after the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Mourners hold up photos of victims as they leave St Paul's cathedral after attending a Grenfell Tower National Memorial service AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures People hold photos and flowers as they leave after the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Service members carry a Grenfell banner Rex Features Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures People at the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May attends the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Marcus Mumford, Adele and Carey Mulligan attending the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Attendees hold a banner at the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Prince Harry, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, The Duchess of Cornwall and The Prince of Wales attend the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures The Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott arrive at St Paul's Cathedral REUTERS Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Members of the public gather outside St Paul's Cathedral ahead of the Grenfell Tower national memorial service Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry attend the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Mourners arrive at St Paul's cathedral for a Grenfell Tower National Memorial service AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Firefighters arriving for the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Mourners arrive at St Paul's cathedral for a Grenfell Tower National Memorial service AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Mourners arrive at St Paul's cathedral for a Grenfell Tower National Memorial service at St Paul's Cathedral PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures People arrive for the Grenfell Tower Memorial Service Rex Features Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Mourners arrive at St Paul's cathedral for a Grenfell Tower National Memorial service AFP/Getty Images Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Former footballer Les Ferdinand (right) arriving for the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service at St Paul's Cathedral PA Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Police officers arrive at St Paul's Cathedral for a memorial service in honour of the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire REUTERS Grenfell Tower memorial service: in pictures Mourners arrive at St Paul's cathedral for a Grenfell Tower National Memorial service AFP/Getty Images

A clearly discomforted Ms May replied: “We have repeatedly called on private building owners not to pass costs on to leaseholders.

“As a result of our interventions, 212 owners have either started, completed, or have commitments in place to remediate.

“There are 56 owners that are refusing to remediate. We are maintaining pressure on this, but we rule nothing out.”

However, that phrase was virtually identical to the words the prime minister used last June, when she told MPs she was “not ruling anything out” if owners failed to act.

James Brokenshire, the then-local government minister, then announced a new taskforce, vowing it would “hold them [owners] to account where they have unsafe cladding systems”.

The government provided hundreds of millions of pounds to strip combustible cladding from social housing, ahead of a ban on its use on new buildings, which came into force last month.

Ministers also insist they have made significant progress on private tower blocks since last summer, when there were more than 200 with no plans for cladding removal.

However, the latest official figures show that it has been taken off only 30 of 268 buildings, with work having started at another 18.