The leader of Kensington and Chelsea council today said her authority will assist the Grenfell inquiry ‘to expose the lessons’ from the tragedy so all councils may apply them.

The inquiry, which opens today, will investigate the deaths of 72 people who died last June when Grenfell Tower was engulfed by fire.

In a statement issued today, Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, said her authority would do all it could to assist the investigation.

‘Our first thoughts and our last thoughts will be with those that lost their lives, so we will be assisting this inquiry to expose the lessons of Grenfell so they can be applied by every council, every authority, every building owner, every private landlord, and every single person that has responsibility for housing in this country,’ she said.

‘The council will do all it can to assist the inquiry.’

The council has been criticised for not responding to, in the words of one petition, the ‘litany of safety and fire concerns’ raised by Grenfell Tower residents before the fire.

The Metropolitan Police also considered last year bringing charges of corporate manslaughter against the local council and tenant management organisation in charge of Grenfell.

Cllr Campbell said the council would not be using the inquiry to absolve themselves of any responsibility for the fire.

‘I want to be clear, we have no interest in defending anything at the Inquiry, we are a public authority, and we want the truth,’ she said.

‘Not only for the victims and the bereaved, but for the whole UK as we all face up to issues of fire safety and safe housing.’