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Jeremy Corbyn is calling for the retrofitting of sprinklers in all council tower blocks.

The Labour leader will say the Chancellor Philip Hammond should use next month’s Budget to set aside £1billion to protect residents living in high rises from another Grenfell disaster.

Ministers have so far refused to provide funding for councils to retrofit sprinklers.

Mr Corbyn will launch a national campaign calling for fire safety measures to be installed in all social housing blocks, starting with those that are 30 metres - ten storeys - or higher.

“The Grenfell Tower fire was an entirely avoidable human disaster that must not be repeated,” he will say.

Despite the Grenfell tragedy, only 2% of the 4,000 tower blocks in Britain have sprinkler systems.

But independent research shows that sprinklers contain or extinguish in 99% of cases.

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(Image: PA)

The coroners’ reports into the high rise fires both recommended that sprinklers be fitted into social housing blocks.

After the Shirley Towers fire in Southamption, that led to the death of two firefighters, the coroner wrote to then Communities Secretary Eric Pickles to press for sprinklers to be fitted in all high rise properties.

The same call was made by the coroner Frances Kirkham into the 2009 Lakanal House fire in Southwark, London, which killed six people

Ms Kirkham wrote a Rule 43 letter to Mr Pickles in 2013 setting out a series of recommendations.

Rule 43 letters are only sent when the coroner believes there is a risk other deaths will occur unless action is taken.

The Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, Dany Cotton has also called for them to be retrofitted.

“This can’t be optional, it can’t be a nice to have, this is something that must happen,” she said recently.

But requests by councils and housing associations to the Government for funding to install sprinkler systems have been rejected by ministers.

Nottingham City Council had its bid for £6 million to fund the retrofitting of sprinklers turned down in September, while Labour-run Salford council has accused the Government of “failing to live up to its responsibility” by refusing funds to improve its social housing.

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(Image: PA)

TO SUPPORT LABOUR'S CAMPAIGN TO FIT SPRINKLERS IN TOWER BLOCKS CLICK HERE.

At the Tory Party conference last month the Prime Minister said the Government "would work with local authorities on any adaptations and changes they needed to make to ensure the safety of those tower blocks.”

But when asked about funding sprinklers, Theresa May replied: “There’s a number of issues that can improve the safety of tower blocks. It is not just one answer.”

Mr Corbyn said: “Five months on from the Grenfell Tower Fire, still only 2% of tower blocks have sprinklers and councils claim they have been denied funding for these vital measures.

“The Government is failing to learn the lessons from this tragedy. I urge the Chancellor to use the Budget to urgently provide the funds needed to retrofit sprinklers, ensuring people in thousands of tower blocks across our country are living in safety and with peace of mind.”

Shadow Housing Secretary John Healey added: “Grenfell was a national disaster which demands a national Government response. Five months on, residents in high rise blocks need to know their homes are safe, yet Ministers won’t act.

“The Conservatives have slashed local government funding by 40% since 2010, depriving councils of the funds that they need to make life saving changes.

“Sprinklers save lives, which is why the Government should set aside the money to fit them into tower blocks across the country.”