“Does it pass the smell test?” Grenfell lawyer speaks out about inquiry’s lack of diversity

Leslie Thomas QC - a barrister who is representing the survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire - has spoken out about the lack of diversity in the advisory panel of the disaster’s public inquiry. Thomas is representing 17 core participants in the inquiry - all former residents of Grenfell Tower. 

Thomas, who was speaking on the opening day of the investigation, said of the 17 participating residents: “you couldn’t get a more diverse group of people." After this, he drew attention to the lawyers representing the corporate core participants in the inquiry: “A fairly homogenised group, wouldn’t you agree, apart from the odd exception here and there?"

The Grenfell Tower public inquiry has already attracted negative attention from the affected families, politicians and public speakers alike, who have expressed dissatisfaction at the narrow scope of events which the inquiry will investigate. David Lammy, MP for Tottenham, has been particularly vocal, asking for corporate manslaughter charges to be recommended, as well as calling for more investigation into inadequate social housing alongside the immediate cause of the fire. 

Thomas went on to allude to this in his speech, saying of the experts on the advisory panel: “How many have lived in a tower block, or a council estate, or in social housing? That affects confidence.

“Confidence - or lack of it - affects participation. And a lack of participation from the people that matter will affect justice. And a lack of justice is injustice.”

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