Theresa May has been labelled “disgraceful” by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) for citing her response the Grenfell fire disaster as a proud part of her legacy.

During her emotional resignation speech the outgoing prime minister said the office had given her a “platform to give a voice to the voiceless, to fight the burning injustices that still scar our society”.

She added: “[That] it is why I set up the independent inquiry into the tragedy at Grenfell Tower, to search for the truth so nothing like it can ever happen again, and so the people who lost their lives that night are never forgotten.”

But rank-and-file firefighters reacted with fury.

FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said in a statement: “Many of the underlying issues at Grenfell were due to unsafe conditions that had been allowed to fester under Tory governments and a council for which Theresa May bears ultimate responsibility.

“The inquiry she launched has kicked scrutiny of corporate and government interests into the long-grass, denying families and survivors justice, while allowing business as usual to continue for the wealthy.

“For the outgoing prime minister to suggest that her awful response to Grenfell is a proud part of her legacy is, frankly, disgraceful.”

London Fashion Week: Activists demand justice for Grenfell Tower Show all 6 1 /6 London Fashion Week: Activists demand justice for Grenfell Tower London Fashion Week: Activists demand justice for Grenfell Tower 72 activists took to the stage to make a statement about the Grenfell Tower tragedy (Jeff Moore) JEFF MOORE/ London Fashion Week: Activists demand justice for Grenfell Tower The activists wore shirts that read: "72 dead and still no arrests? How come?" (Jeff Moore) JEFF MOORE/ London Fashion Week: Activists demand justice for Grenfell Tower The group included models, family members, and celebrities (Jeff Moore) JEFF MOORE/ London Fashion Week: Activists demand justice for Grenfell Tower The 72 volunteers represented the 72 victims who lost their lives in the fire (Jeff Moore) JEFF MOORE/ London Fashion Week: Activists demand justice for Grenfell Tower The tragedy took place in June 2017 (Jeff Moore) JEFF MOORE/ London Fashion Week: Activists demand justice for Grenfell Tower Activists want to remind the community that more needs to be done to prevent a similar tragedy from happening in the future (Jeff Moore) JEFF MOORE/

Ms May’s impending departure has triggered a race for the Conservative leadership, with the party pledging to install a new prime minister by the end of July.

She will officially step down as leader on 7 June – following Donald Trump‘s state visit to the UK – but remain as PM until the new top Tory is elected.