What is really going on in politics? Get our daily email briefing straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A distraught resident at Grenfell Tower has hit out at the Prime Minister for not speaking to survivors and residents during a private visit to the fire-ravaged site today.

The woman - whose name is not known - told Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn that Theresa May was "s**t" after she broke through a police cordon to ask for his help.

The resident said action needed to be taken to ensure there was no repeat of the horrific blaze, which has left at least 17 people dead with the death toll expected to rise.

She told Mr Corbyn: "Theresa May was here but she didn't speak to any of us. She was s**t." Mr Corbyn said he would see what he could do.

The Labour leader spoke to residents for around 40 minutes to hear their concerns about safety and was seen hugging a woman who told him about a missing 12-year-old girl who was on the 20th floor of the tower.

(Image: Daily Mirror)

Mr Corbyn told reporters after the visit: "Some very hard questions have got to be asked and some very hard questions must be answered.

"The fire is not supposed to spread from one flat to another, it's supposed to be contained. It wasn't - it spread and it spread upwards and it spread outside as well through the cladding.

"Questions on the sprinkler system, questions on the fire breaks, questions on why the cladding apparently burnt, questions on building control regulations, questions on the safety.

(Image: PA) (Image: PA)

(Image: Rex Features)

"Hundreds of thousands of people in our country live in tower blocks, very high-rise tower blocks. Every single person who lives in a high-rise apartment today is going to be thinking, 'How safe am I?"

His visit came after the Prime Minister was pictured this morning talking to firefighters at the scene of the blaze in west London, which has left at least 17 people dead.

The Prime Minister spoke to emergency services staff at the foot of the tower but no survivors, media or members of the public were present.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

(Image: Daily Mirror)

Later, she ordered a full public inquiry into the tragedy, echoing calls from Mr Corbyn and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Mrs May said: "We need to know what happened, we need to know an explanation.

"We owe that to the families, to the people who have lost loved ones and the homes in which they lived.

"That is why I am ordering a full public inquiry so that we can get to the answers, we can find out exactly what happened," she said.

Firefighters are searching for bodies in the tower after the blaze, which has left at least 17 people confirmed dead.

Questions grew this morning over the cause of the fire, and whether a recent refurbishment contributed to it spreading so quickly through the building.

Investigations are at their earliest stages, but experts have pointed the finger at the external cladding added to the building in 2016.

London-based developer Rydon completed the refurbishment of the block last year, and insist their work “met all required building control, fire regulation and health and safety standards.”

The firm’s director, Andrew Goldman told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “We don’t know there is any direct link between the fire and the cladding.”

The government faced criticism yesterday after it emerged successive housing ministers had resisted calls for sprinklers to be be installed in similar tower blocks across the country.

And a review of building regulations following a blaze in a London block of flats in 2009 which killed six people has made little significant progress almost four years after a coroner’s report demanded it.

Mrs May's new chief of staff, Gavin Barwell, was the minister in charge of housing and fire safety in the year leading up to the eleciton.

In a statement yesterday, Mrs May said: "My thoughts are with the victims, their families and all of those who had their homes destroyed.

"It’s impossible to comprehend the horror of what they’ve been going through. The response of people living nearby who have provided help, compassion and support has I think, once again, shown the fantastic spirit of London."

She added: "Once again, our emergency services – the fire service, ambulance, NHS and police - have shown incredible bravery, working in truly appalling conditions.

"Their work will continue for some time, and I know everybody will want to join me in thanking them for their amazing bravery.

"Many people will be working around the clock in the NHS to treat those who have been injured, and working elsewhere to provide help and support to those who have no home to return to.

"Of course, once the scene is secure, once the recovery is complete, then an investigation will take place into the cause of the fire and if there are any lessons to be learned.

"Until then, our focus must be on ensuring that the emergency services have what they need to continue with their harrowing work, and that help and support is being provided to all those who have suffered as a result of this tragedy."