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FBU calls on inquiry fire safety experts to stand down

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) is calling on two of the Grenfell Inquiry’s fire safety experts to stand down.

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FBU calls on inquiry fire safety experts to stand down #ukhousing

Inquiry expert accused of being “conflicted” over deregulation and cuts #ukhousing

LFB raises concern over splitting of inquiry into two phases #ukhousing

On the second day of a procedural hearing for the inquiry this morning, barrister Martin Seaward, who is representing the FBU, said Steve McGuirk, who has been appointed to advise the inquiry on fire safety, is “conflicted” and has been at the “forefront of deregulation and cuts” to the fire service.

The FBU is calling on Mr McGuirk to stand down from the inquiry, as well as fellow expert appointee Joyce Redfearn.

Both were deputy lieutenants in Greater Manchester, which Mr Seaward said “emphasises and reflects the gap between them and the Grenfell Tower community and, indeed, the ordinary working people in the Fire Brigades Union”.

Mr Seaward said Mr McGuirk was the “principal” advisor when the Local Government Association (LGA) drew up its fire safety guidance and which has been “contentious from the outset”.

Mr Seward added that, “crucially”, the LGA’s guidance was not amended when the Lakanal House coroner set out her recommendations for fire safety improvements.


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Mr Seaward said: “Significantly the FBU wants this inquiry to consider the effect, if any, of deregulation and closures and cuts on the emergency response of 14 June 2017 and that is part of investigating the big question: how could this happen in London? We contend that Mr McGuirk is inevitably conflicted in advising the team on that issue.”

Stephen Walsh QC, who is representing the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA), which runs the London Fire Brigade, questioned the practicality of splitting the inquiry into two phases. The first phase tackles what happened on the night of the fire and the second phase focuses on why it happened.

Mr Walsh said the LFEPA holds the “strong belief” that those bereaved by the fire and survivors of it “are entitled to gain an understanding of how and why the fire and rescue operation was conducted as it was as soon as reasonably practical”.

He said that if the questions over why the fire started and spread were “left hanging in the air” then they will be “debated in the public arena, possibly for several months pending phase two and the problem with that is that there is a real risk that public confidence in high-rise fire rescue operations will be unnecessarily affected, possibly through misunderstandings”.

Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the judge leading the inquiry, said he will produce a report on these initial procedural hearings next week.

The full inquiry will begin next year.

Never Again campaign

Never Again campaign

Inside Housing has launched a campaign to improve fire safety following the Grenfell Tower fire

Never Again: campaign asks

Inside Housing is calling for immediate action to implement the learning from the Lakanal House fire, and a commitment to act – without delay – on learning from the Grenfell Tower tragedy as it becomes available.

LANDLORDS

  • Take immediate action to check cladding and external panels on tower blocks and take prompt, appropriate action to remedy any problems
  • Update risk assessments using an appropriate, qualified expert.
  • Commit to renewing assessments annually and after major repair or cladding work is carried out
  • Review and update evacuation policies and ‘stay put’ advice in light of risk assessments, and communicate clearly to residents

GOVERNMENT

  • Provide urgent advice on the installation and upkeep of external insulation
  • Update and clarify building regulations immediately – with a commitment to update if additional learning emerges at a later date from the Grenfell inquiry
  • Fund the retrofitting of sprinkler systems in all tower blocks across the UK (except where there are specific structural reasons not to do so)

We will submit evidence from our research to the Grenfell public inquiry.

The inquiry should look at why opportunities to implement learning that could have prevented the fire were missed, in order to ensure similar opportunities are acted on in the future.

 

READ MORE ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN HERE

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