Sajid Javid Tells LBC Of His Heartbreak Over The Grenfell Tower Fire

13 June 2019, 21:42 | Updated: 14 June 2019, 07:56

Sajid Javid told LBC the Grenfell Tower fire was the most "moving" and "difficult" experience of his time in Government.

When asked by Iain Dale about his first reaction to the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire the Home Secretary said seeing the pictures was "heartbreaking" and also "terrifying."

Friday marks two years since the fatal blaze in west London.

The Home Secretary said when he saw the pictures of the whole tower on fire he could not stop thinking about the children and residents.

When Iain asked if he felt he should have intervened earlier in his capacity as Secretary of State, Mr Javid said he didn't think there was more than he could have done.

Mr Javid said he did not attend the scene at first on the advice of the emergency services, a move which saw some politicians criticised in the press.

"Had I ignored that advice, and gone anyway it would have been a pretty irresponsible thing to do," he said.

The MP for Bromsgove said that "the work continues to this day."

Mr Javid did get emotional as a response, he said he became moved when he met with the residents and survivors, he told LBC when he visited survivors at a hotel there was "a lot of emotion."

He said the mood really changed, and that he reached out and hugged people.

Denying claims he is cold, the Home Secretary said: " To me it's what a sensitive human does, and I like to think that's what I am."

Watch the whole revealing exchange at the top of the page, or watch Sajid Javid's entire interview with Iain Dale here.