Human rights watchdog to carry out its own Grenfell fire review
A REVIEW of the Grenfell Tower disaster by Britain’s official equality watchdog will scrutinise possible government and council failings under human rights and equality law, it has been announced.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) pledged to ensure any critical shortcomings by authorities both before and after the deadly fire were not “overlooked”.
Its intervention almost six months on from the tragedy, which left 71 people dead in June, came amid concerns the separate judge-led public inquiry would neglect human rights issues.
Seven areas of legislation will form the focus of the work, which is expected to conclude by April and will result in the publication of a report called
the EHRC said. It will also make recommendations in the hopes that similar tragedies could be prevented in future.
The key issues include whether authorities failed in their duty to protect human life, after warnings about fire safety at Grenfell Tower were allegedly ignored by Kensington and Chelsea Council and the organisation managing the building.
Despite the watchdog’s eagerness to play down a rift with the public inquiry, its investigation will look at whether the Government has adequately investigated the fire – including through Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s probe.
Crucially for the inquiry, which has been criticised for sidelining those affected by the fire, the EHRC review is to consider whether survivors and bereaved families were allowed to “adequately participate”.