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JUSTGIVING has pocketed £200,000 from Grenfell Tower donations, The Sun can reveal.

The fundraising site has kept hold of five per cent of the £4million given to help survivors and relatives.

 JustGiving has pocketed £200,000 from Grenfell Tower donations meant for survivors and relatives
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JustGiving has pocketed £200,000 from Grenfell Tower donations meant for survivors and relativesCredit: Dan Charity - The Sun
 Firefighter comforts survivor after terrifying blaze which claimed 72 lives
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Firefighter comforts survivor after terrifying blaze which claimed 72 livesCredit: London News Pictures

It has refused calls from Grenfell campaigners to give up its cut, which it says is for running and monitoring donor pages.

And it declined to respond to fresh calls on the first anniversary of the disaster.

Labour MP John Spellar said: “I understand that they need to cover their costs.

“But they should also recognise that making a significant profit isn’t why people give their money to charity and they should see sense and cough up.”

 JustGiving refused calls from Grenfell campaigners to give up its cut
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JustGiving refused calls from Grenfell campaigners to give up its cutCredit: PA:Press Association
 Emotional firefighters take stock after devastating Grenfell Tower fire
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Emotional firefighters take stock after devastating Grenfell Tower fireCredit: AFP or licensors

JustGiving, which allows people to raise money at the click of a button, takes its five per cent cut from every donation. It also charges charities a monthly subscription of up to £39.

The site justifies the rake-off by saying it helps “people raise more money, more efficiently”.

A spokesperson for JustGiving said: “Every year, JustGiving raises hundreds of millions for people in need. Our fee allows us to provide a safe and secure platform that helps anyone to raise more for the causes they care about than they would be able to alone.”

 Labour MP John Spellar says: 'they should see sense and cough up'
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Labour MP John Spellar says: 'they should see sense and cough up'Credit: PA Archive
 Theresa May apologised for not speaking to survivors on the day of the tragedy
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Theresa May apologised for not speaking to survivors on the day of the tragedyCredit: Alamy Live News

Meanwhile, Theresa May said she didn’t realise how “absolutely shocking” the tragedy was until she saw the building first hand on the afternoon of the fire.

The PM repeated her apology for failing to talk to survivors after the blaze, which claimed 72 lives.

She told Grenfell Speaks: “I think it was when I actually came to the site and saw the tower and heard directly from the firefighters that I realised how absolutely shocking - it was really shocking to see that building.

“I began to hear more of the stories and more of the explanation of the absolute horror of what people had gone through.

“I started to understand more, the depth of the tragedy."

The PM added: “I didn’t, of course, on that first visit, meet members of the community or survivors and I’m sorry.”

Grenfell resident releases song to mark anniversary one year later
  • Twelve tower blocks in West London and Downing Street will be illuminated in green on Thursday to mark the anniversary.
  • Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will join the silent march with the survivors of the fire in North Kensington.
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