RIBBLE Valley MP Nigel Evans has told the the Council of Europe that high-rise building must be at the top of its agenda following the Grenfell Tower disaster.

He spoke on the issue at Monday’s gathering of the 47-nation strong human rights organisation in Strasbourg.

Mr Evans said: “We should as an institution not stand idly by and allow these possible death traps to become death traps.”

He highlighted disturbing details of tragedy which killed at least 79, including claims there was no central fire alarm or sprinklers and that the cladding, added during a £10 million refurbishment, caught alight ‘like a matchstick’.

Mr Evans said:“Imagine how many tower blocks there are in Council of Europe countries that might be in a similar situation?

“Where some people are now living in fear of their lives simply because they do not know if they are safe or not.”

Mr Evans called for urgent action on the matter Europe-wide: “This disaster should be now seen as an opportunity for us to have our say and make sure that our citizens have exactly what we say in Article 3, which is the right to life.”

Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Communities, told MPs that 75 high-rise tower blocks in 26 local council areas had now failed cladding and fire safety tests and that an independent expert advisory commission was to be set up.