95 buildings fail tests after London fire

British Prime Minister Theresa May says there must be a "major national investigation" into the use of potentially flammable cladding on high-rise towers across the country over a period of decades.

Her call came as Cabinet was informed 95 samples of cladding from tower blocks in 32 English local authority areas have failed fire safety tests - amounting to 100 per cent of all samples submitted by councils in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

The PM's official spokesman said the national investigation could be conducted as a second phase of the public inquiry already announced into the west London blaze, which claimed the lives of at least 79 people earlier this month.

PA