Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

The next steps after the tragic events at Grenfell Tower

by Sailesh Mehta

FROM LAW TO POLICY AND SAFETY, INQUIRY WILL HAVE LESSONS FOR ALL


The Government has acted surprisingly quickly in announcing a full Public Inquiry into the fire at Grenfell Tower in London. There was no other political option available: as the death toll mounts and local anger and public disquiet threaten to further damage a weakened Government. An apology (made in Parliament on Wednesday) and an Inquiry were necessary.

Sir Martin Moore-Bick has been appointed Chair of the Inquiry. The appointment has led to a chorus of disapproval. Partly because he fits the “jobs for the boys” mould of upper middle class, public school and Oxbridge educated white Anglo-Saxon male. And partly because the Government has suggested there would be consultation with the community before appointment – there was none. David Lammy MP has suggested that a Judge who has lived in a block of flats would be a better appointment – unfortunately, one would have to look far and wide to find a senior Judge (or even an MP) who meets that criteria. What Sir Martin brings is gravitas, experience, a proven ability to handle vast amounts of data and deal with complex areas of law.

What is more important than the appointment of the Chair is the Panel of Experts to assist Sir Martin. This Panel should be diverse in their expertise and their cultural backgrounds, to win back support of the local community. The Terms of Reference are also of crucial importance in winning back public support for the Inquiry. If the Terms are too narrow (as currently feared by advisers to the Grenfell families) then again there will a huge loss of support and confidence in the process, and the Inquiry will lose its potency.

The Saville Inquiry (into the Bloody Sunday massacre), the Scarman Inquiry (into the state of policing after the Brixton Riots) the MacPherson Inquiry into Stephen Lawrence’s murder) and the Chilcott Inquiry (into the invasion of Iraq) all took many years to report. The Grenfell Tower Inquiry will have to report within a very short time span – the grieving families need to have closure quickly and the public will insist that lessons learnt are immediately implemented to avoid another inferno. There could be a time clause introduced within the terms of reference to ensure that the Inquiry works quickly and efficiently.

Already, the lawyers are gathering. Most are well-intentioned and are providing much needed free advice to grieving families and residents on subjects as diverse as housing, benefits and immigration law.

All Governments would rather that lawyers did not exist – even liberal States have corners they would prefer to remain unlit by the harsh light of fearless inquiry. Public funding will ensure the families of the deceased will have a voice in the Inquiry through legal representation. However, the number of

lawyers in a room is inversely proportional to the speed of the clock, so the Chairman will impose tight deadlines on disclosure and cross-examination.

There will be three key areas of interest: the cause of the fire, lessons learnt and recommendations for the future, which may include suggestions about law reform and more “hands on” regulation. The role of the local authority, particularly its buildings regulations department, the supplier and fitters of the lethal cladding, the management committee for the building, the fire advisors, particularly those that carried out a fire risk assessment and devised the “stay put in case of fire” policy – all will come under scrutiny. The role of the fire brigade’s regulation of the building could also come under scrutiny. The Inquiry is likely to hear from experts in fire law as well as building regulations experts. A number of race groups are already asking why so many BME residents seem to be housed on the upper (and more dangerous) floors. Once the Report is produced, a yearly “audit” would ensure implementation.

The Metropolitan Police has begun a criminal investigation into the fire. “Corporate manslaughter” and similar allegations have been widely aired by politicians. This is a horrendously difficult area of law and the burden of proving it is (rightly) very heavy. As a result, such allegations are rarely prosecuted and often result in acquittal after trial. Mrs. May has said “for any guilty parties, there will be nowhere to hide”. That is as it should be, but politicians of all hues should be slow to raise expectations that cannot be met, and only have the effect of pressuring investigators into rash judgments.

Other bodies such as the Health and Safety Executive, and the Fire Brigade will be carrying out their own investigations. Often, they wait their turn after the Police investigation is near completion. However, in this case, there is a good argument for a joint investigation to speed up the process. These bodies will investigate a wider range of organisations and will have a greater range of offences to investigate. Typically, such investigations can take 12 months or more before a decision is made about whom to prosecute.

The problem of fire safety in high-rise accommodation is of international concern and many countries around the world will be watching developments anxiously. Over the last 50 years, as the poor have moved into cities looking for employment, the high rise block has been the cheap solution for most cities’ housing problems. Already, vulnerable and poor people crammed in badly-built flats from Mumbai to Beijing to Rio are asking their local representatives questions about fire safety. They will be watching what happens in the UK with keen interest.

Sailesh Mehta is a Barrister at Red Lion Chambers. He heads the Fire Law Group and regularly prosecutes and defends in serious fire cases involving fatality.

More For You

Anurag Bajpayee's Gradiant: The water company tackling a global crisis

Anurag Bajpayee's Gradiant: The water company tackling a global crisis

Rana Maqsood

In a world increasingly defined by scarcity, one resource is emerging as the most quietly decisive factor in the future of industry, sustainability, and even geopolitics: water. Yet, while the headlines are dominated by energy transition and climate pledges, few companies working behind the scenes on water issues have attracted much public attention. One of them is Gradiant, a Boston-based firm that has, over the past decade, grown into a key player in the underappreciated but critical sector of industrial water treatment.

A Company Born from MIT, and from Urgency

Founded in 2013 by Anurag Bajpayee and Prakash Govindan, two researchers with strong ties to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Gradiant began as a scrappy start-up with a deceptively simple premise: make water work harder. At a time when discussions about climate change were centred almost exclusively on carbon emissions and renewable energy, the trio saw water scarcity looming in the background.

Keep ReadingShow less
We are what we eat: How ending malnutrition could save millions of lives around the world

Malnutrition is the underlying cause of almost 50 per cent of child deaths around the world

Getty Images

We are what we eat: How ending malnutrition could save millions of lives around the world

Baroness Chapman and Afshan Khan

The word “nutrition” can mean many things. In the UK, the word might conjure images of protein powders or our five-a-day of fruit and veg. But nutrition is much more than that. Nutrition plays a crucial role in shaping the health and life chances of people around the world.

Malnutrition is the underlying cause of almost 50 per cent of child deaths around the world as it weakens the immune system, reducing resilience to disease outbreaks such as cholera and measles. This is equivalent to approximately 2.25 million children dying annually - more than the number of children under five in Spain, Poland, Greece, or Portugal.

Keep ReadingShow less
Dynamic dance passion

Mevy Qureshi conducting a Bollywoodinspired exercise programme

Dynamic dance passion

Mevy Qureshi

IN 2014, I pursued my passion for belly dancing at the Fleur Estelle Dance School in Covent Garden, London. Over the next three years, I mastered techniques ranging from foundational movements to advanced choreography and performance skills. This dedication to dance led to performing in front of audiences, including a memorable solo rendition of Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk, which showcased dynamic stage presence and delighted the crowd.

However, my connection to dance began much earlier. The energy, vibrancy, and storytelling of Bollywood captivated me from a very young age. The expressive movements, lively music, and colourful costumes offered a sense of joy and empowerment that became the foundation of my dance passion.

Keep ReadingShow less
How Aga Khan led a quiet revolution

The late Prince Karim Aga Khan IV

How Aga Khan led a quiet revolution

THE late Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, who passed away in Lisbon last month, succeeded his grandfather, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan 111, as the spiritual leader of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims in July 1957, when massive changes were taking place globally.

Having taken a year off from his studies at Harvard University, the Aga Khan IV decided to travel all over the world to gain a first-hand understanding of his followers’ needs and what would be required to ensure quality of life for them and the people among whom they lived, regardless of race, faith, gender or ethnicity.

Keep ReadingShow less
‘Will Gaza surrender if brutal strategy of famine is forced?’

A boy looks on as he eats at a camp sheltering displaced Palestinians set up at a landfil in the Yarmuk area in Gaza City on March 20, 2025. Israel bombarded Gaza and pressed its ground operations on March 20, after issuing what it called a "last warning" for Palestinians to return hostages and remove Hamas from power.

Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP via Getty Images

‘Will Gaza surrender if brutal strategy of famine is forced?’

THERE was supposed to be a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict, yet Israel appears to have turned to a new and deadly weapon – starvation of the besieged population.

Is this a cunning way to avoid accusations of breaking the peace agreement? Instead of re-starting the bombardment, is mass famine the new tactic?

Keep ReadingShow less