The Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Lessons from a Tragic Fire

The Aftermath of the Grenfell Tower Tragedy

In the wake of tragedy or scandal, the prevailing sentiment in Britain seems to be to hold an inquiry. This was evident last week when the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, a government investigation initiated in 2017 following a catastrophic residential fire that claimed the lives of 72 individuals, released its final findings.

The comprehensive report laid out a scathing indictment of multiple parties involved. It revealed that:

• Unscrupulous manufacturers failed to disclose the catastrophic fire risks associated with their products.
• Reckless deregulation allowed these hazardous materials to be employed in high-rise residential projects, despite being banned in other nations.
• A cost-cutting local government approved the use of dangerous materials, despite prior incidents where these materials had been linked to deadly fires.

However, it is disheartening to note that it took over six years for the inquiry to reach its conclusions. Moreover, the London Metropolitan Police Department has indicated that it will require an additional 12 to 18 months to decide whether to pursue criminal charges against those implicated.

Sam Freedman, a former adviser to a Conservative government minister and the author of the book “Failed State: Why Nothing Works and How We Fix It,” remarked on the implications of such lengthy inquiries. “If one were to adopt a cynical perspective, one might argue that the extended duration of these inquiries serves a particular purpose,” he stated. Freedman elaborated that by the time the findings are published, those identified as responsible are often no longer in power, and public outrage has significantly subsided.

While there are still political repercussions associated with initiating an inquiry, Freedman suggests that these consequences are considerably less severe than the immediate and concrete policy responses that would typically follow a crisis.