The Public Inquiry team has confirmed the Phase 2 Report will not be published before the 7th anniversary of the Grenfell Tower Fire. The report was originally due to to published in October 2023 but it was delayed by six months.
This second delay is another set back as the criminal investigation cannot proceed until the report is published. Marking the 7th anniversary without the conclusion of the Public Inquiry is testament to the painfully slow and drawn out process families are forced to go through.
This delay is another reminder of the importance of the Hillsborough Law Now. The initiative would provide a new legal duty of candour on public authorities and officials to tell the truth and proactively cooperate with official investigations and inquiries - bringing to an end the depressingly familiar pattern of cover ups and concealment. It would also ensure victims of disasters or state-related deaths are entitled to parity of legal representation during inquests and inquiries. This will mean that bereaved families can get public funding, just as public money is used to support Government and public authority lawyers.
The delay of the Phase 2 report means it will be more important than ever for the government to act fast and implement the recommendations in full.