Action demanded over inquiries

Bereaved families and survivors affected by Covid-19, the Grenfell Tower fire, and the infected blood scandal came together “as victims of the state” to mark the seventh anniversary of the Grenfell fire and call for inquiry recommendations to be acted on.

Lobby Akinnola from Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK called for a national oversight mechanism to “help make sure that recommendations turn into action and action turns into change”.

The Inquest campaign explains that this would be an independent, public body with a duty to collate, analyse and monitor recommendations and their implementation arising from post-death investigations, inquiries and inquests.

Akinnola said: “If — like Covid 19 bereaved families, Grenfell victims, and victims of the infected blood scandal, to name a few — you and your loved ones have been let down horrifically by the state, the least you should expect is that the state will learn from what went wrong to save lives in the future.

“But as things stand, the long fight for justice through inquests and inquiries often leads to little or no change in policy.”

Grenfell United member and former Grenfell Tower resident Edward Daffarn said the anniversary of the fire was an opportunity to remind people how little has changed, in terms of truth, justice and change, after seven years.