Sadiq Khan calls for building safety watchdog to be renationalised to prevent another Grenfell fire

The Building Research Establishment (BRE) was privatised in 1997 and has been criticised during the Grenfell Inquiry

The UK's building materials watchdog should be renationalised to prevent another Grenfell fire tragedy, London mayor Sadiq Khan has said.

The Building Research Establishment (BRE) was privatised in 1997 at the tail end of the last Tory government and has been criticised during the inquiry into the deadly blaze at the west London tower block.

The organisation was set up as a national laboratory to test the safety of construction materials like the flammable cladding which was used on the tower – but now operates as a commercial concern.