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The state of tower block cladding 19 months after the Grenfell Tower fire has been branded a "cause for national shame" after the Mirror revealed a "cover-up".

Ministers were blasted in the House of Commons today after we obtained footage of a panel failing a fire test that was meant to last an hour after 10 minutes.

We reported the firm which built Manchester's X1 ­Eastlands block tried to cover up the results and families were not told for weeks.

Housing Minister Kit Malthouse said fire service chiefs had assured him residents of the block are safe tonight.

But the top Tory admitted he's "certainly not" an expert himself.

Discussing the case during an urgent question in the Commons, Shadow Housing Secretary John Healey said: "Whatever the minister says he's doing, it isn't working.

"If the government can't fix problems this serious and this urgent, what on earth is it in office for?"

The Labour MP said: "This should be a cause for national shame that over 19 months after the Grenfell Tower fire, I'm having to drag ministers to the House because there are still buildings in this country cloaked in the Grenfell style cladding with residents who don't know if their homes are safe."

He added: "There were 437 high rise blocks with the same Grenfell style cladding and 370 are yet to have this removed and replaced.

"It's shocking that the minister knows every one of these blocks but won't name the landlords and won't tell the residents."

Labour MP Emma Dent Coad - who represents the survivors of Grenfell Tower - warned "Grenfell two is in the post".

She said: "People are genuinely afraid in their bed and just saying that the minister is satisfied is not really enough.

"Nothing has yet changed, the Government is ignoring warnings, our constituents are going to bed afraid, current measures are not working, as one of the Grenfell survivors said, 'Grenfell two is in the post'.

"How many more must die before the Government takes positive action to keep people safe in their beds?"

Minister Mr Malthouse slammed Labour's "antagonistic" approach saying the government's response was "immediate and wide-ranging".

But he admitted he was "cajoling" firms in the private sector and "more assertive" measures may be needed.

Without specifying any individual firm he said: "He is correct that we will get to a point where there are a small number of owners or contractors who put this cladding on buildings where we will need to consider more assertive measures.

"Those are under active consideration at the moment."

(Image: parliamentlive.tv)

But he said of the block we highlighted in Manchester: "I understand that the local fire and rescue service are satisfied that everybody is safe in that building tonight and that temporary measures are in place while the work is done.

"Obviously there seems to be some complication about getting that work done but nevertheless it is being done."

The Tory minister insisted: "All the while, in all of this - and he [John Healey] may present himself as an expert but I'm certainly not - we are guided by expert opinion.

"That includes Dame Judith Hackitt's review but also the independent expert panel, advisory group that was constituted in the immediate aftermath of Grenfell.

"We follow their advice in making sure that we can guarantee people's safety tonight."

Mr Malthouse said the "primary focus" was "interim measures" to make buildings "immediately safe".

(Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)

The minister said interim measures were in place on all 176 high-rise private residential blocks with unsafe "ACM" cladding.

He added: "We've secured commitments from owners of 268 privately owned buildings. 212 have either started, completed or have commitments in place to remediate.

"There remain 42 private residential buildings where the owners' plans are unclear."

But SNP MP Alison Thewliss said: "It is extremely disturbing to hear the news from the X1 Eastlands block in Manchester.

"Not only has the construction firm neglected to pass on the findings of a field test - they also appear to have threatened to withhold payment for the test unless the testing company signed a non disclosure agreement over the results."

(Image: DAILY RECORD)

We reported that construction firm Forrest went into ­administration, allegedly without passing the damning test report on to the buildings’ owners.

Nick Sweeney, chief executive officer at X1 Developments, which owns the property, told our reporter his firm knew the test had taken place and had been “made aware” of the ­preliminary findings received by Forrest.

He said Forrest had “indicated that the [cladding] assembly did not meet the BR 135 classification” but had not handed over the test report.

Since being contacted by the Mirror, X1 has announced it “will be removing the cladding which is affixed to part of the exterior of the building and replacing it with a new system”.

The administrators of Forrest would not comment. Read our original story with X1's full comment here.