Tragedies like Grenfell cannot be completely avoided, says Sir Tony Blair

Sir Tony Blair has warned that tragedies such as the Grenfell Tower fire cannot be completely avoided.

The former prime minister, who left office in 2007, said it was a “difficult thing to say”, but that even when systems work well and are “well-intentioned”, people are “going to make mistakes”.

In an exclusive interview with the Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge, Sir Tony also revealed he was “involved quite a lot” in the Middle East, where tensions between Israel, Lebanon and Iran are at an all-time high.

The former prime minister said he was not going to comment on individual leaders, but added: “The most important thing is that we get a ceasefire that’s sustainable and that we find a path back to some concept of security for the Israelis and self-determination for the Palestinians.”

Sir Tony was asked whether he accepted that the tragedies of Grenfell, the infected blood scandal and the Post Office scandal meant there had been a “failure of leadership” in government.

“This is a difficult thing to say, but it’s the honest truth – however good your system is and however well-intentioned it is, and however hard people work, they’re going to make mistakes,” he replied.

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“It’s important that you hold people accountable for those mistakes, of course – but I don’t think you’re ever going to get a situation where decisions are perfectly taken in perfect circumstances and there aren’t accidents or tragedies that occur.

“It’s just important every time they do occur to try and learn the lessons of them.”

Sir Tony was speaking just a day after a landmark report into the tragedy by Grenfell Inquiry chair Sir Martin Moore-Bick concluded the government was “well aware” of the deadly risks posed by combustible cladding and insulation a year before the fire broke out but “failed to act on what it knew”.

Seventy-two people died after flames engulfed the 24-storey tower block in Latimer Road, west London, on 14 June 2017.

Sir Martin’s report also said “systematic dishonesty” from cladding and insulation companies and a “toxic” relationship between the tower’s residents and the Tenant Management Organisation (TMO), which was responsible for running services, were contributing factors to the tragedy.

Sir Martin also concluded that government officials were “complacent, defensive and dismissive” on fire safety, while cutting red tape was prioritised.

Grenfell residents who raised safety concerns were dismissed as “militant troublemakers”, he said.

The report’s findings prompted an apology from Sir Keir Starmer, who told bereaved families he was “deeply sorry” for the actions of the British government.

Asked what he believed his “biggest mistake” was while in government, Sir Tony said: “I always say to people, it’s for me to know and others to find out – but I’m sure there’s a lot of people who would say it’s over post 9/11 and Afghanistan and Iraq and so on.

“But, you know, I’ve debated that issue many, many times.”

Watch the full interview with Sir Tony Blair on Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge tonight at 7pm.