Real Grenfell Tower death toll ‘covered up to prevent riots’ – Labour MP

His comments come as residents of the tower block wrote to UK Prime Minister Theresa May to demand justice and make sure the investigation into the blaze leaves “no stone unturned.”

Lammy, the MP for Tottenham, questioned the official figure of 79 people who are presumed dead. Police have now formally identified 18 victims of the fire and 61 people missing. It is feared the number could rise dramatically.

He admitted he had “no idea” if the number was being covered up but was “sympathetic” to the theory.

“What people say is that if you put the numbers out early, there could be civil unrest,” he told BBC Newsnight.

Asked if he thought the death toll had not been released because of the potential for civil unrest, he said: “The truth is the media cycle is now beginning to move on to other things, that’s the truth.

“And so what people say is that in two weeks, three weeks’ time, if you start to reveal the numbers, things have moved on.”

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