20,000 signatures reached
To: Theresa May
An Inquest NOT a Public Inquiry for the Grenfell Tower Fires.
To ensure public confidence that the role of Government has been properly scrutinised, the Prime Minister must allow an inquest into the deaths caused by the Grenfell Tower fire - NOT a public inquiry.
Why is this important?
There is much evidence that "the political decision to appoint inquiries into public crises is strongly influenced by short-term blame avoidance considerations, media salience and government popularity." (Reflection in the Shadow of Blame: When Do Politicians Appoint Commissions of Inquiry? - The British Journal of Political Science, Volume 40, Issue 3 July 2010, pp. 613-634).
An event such as the Grenfell Tower fire, with its clear implications of Government Minister involvement and possible culpability, requires an inquest which is truly independent from government; not set up and controlled by government.
The right to life under Article 2 of the Human Rights Act requires that an effective and proper investigation be carried out into all deaths caused by the state. In particular the right requires that such an investigation must be:
* Independent;
* Effective;
* Prompt;
* Open to public scrutiny; and*
* Support the participation of the next-of-kin.
It is clear from historical evidence that public inquiries do not achieve these requirements. Since the appointment of a public inquiry is typically made by government ministers, events that involve allegations of blame on the part of the relevant minister are less likely to be investigated by a public inquiry
An event such as the Grenfell Tower fire, with its clear implications of Government Minister involvement and possible culpability, requires an inquest which is truly independent from government; not set up and controlled by government.
The right to life under Article 2 of the Human Rights Act requires that an effective and proper investigation be carried out into all deaths caused by the state. In particular the right requires that such an investigation must be:
* Independent;
* Effective;
* Prompt;
* Open to public scrutiny; and*
* Support the participation of the next-of-kin.
It is clear from historical evidence that public inquiries do not achieve these requirements. Since the appointment of a public inquiry is typically made by government ministers, events that involve allegations of blame on the part of the relevant minister are less likely to be investigated by a public inquiry
