Lord Pickles Faces Criticism in Upcoming Grenfell Tower Tragedy Report

The long-awaited report on the Grenfell Tower tragedy is set to be released on September 4, 2024, with Lord Pickles expected to face significant criticism. The former communities secretary is likely to be the most senior ex-minister scrutinized for failures contributing to the disaster that claimed 72 lives on June 14, 2017.

The inquiry, which has spanned over seven years, has examined various aspects of the tragedy, including the use of flammable cladding and the emergency services' response. Lord Pickles, who served as communities and local government secretary from 2010 to 2015, is among those who have received draft sections of the report for review by their legal teams.

During the inquiry, Lord Pickles faced questions regarding delays in implementing fire safety regulations. Officials in his department were accused of disregarding warnings about the dangers of the external cladding that fueled the rapid spread of the fire. The inquiry heard that there were multiple occasions when the department could have taken preventive measures.

One of the key issues examined was the government's "one in, one out" policy on business regulations. While Lord Pickles claimed this policy did not apply to fire safety regulations, the inquiry was informed that building regulations were not exempt. This policy required the removal of an existing regulation for each new one introduced.

The inquiry also scrutinized the response to recommendations made following a fatal fire in 2009. Lord Pickles admitted to delaying improvements to building regulations suggested after this incident, stating that civil servants had assured him it was not a priority. He claimed that officials had informed him the coroner for the previous fire had been confused by expert witness evidence.

"I think, though I can't be sure, that certainly affected my judgment in terms of the importance of doing this. It was said that I shouldn't worry, that there wasn't any real issue in terms of safety, people know these kind of things and, you know, we will sort this out."

The Grenfell Tower fire, which lasted approximately 60 hours before being fully extinguished, exposed significant issues in UK building regulations and fire safety practices. It led to a nationwide inspection of cladding on high-rise buildings and sparked debates about social housing policies and inequality in London.

While Lord Pickles is expected to face personal scrutiny, former Prime Minister Lord Cameron and former Chancellor George Osborne are likely to avoid direct criticism for government policies that may have affected safety.

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry, established on June 15, 2017, has heard evidence from over 300 witnesses and is estimated to have cost over £100 million as of 2021. The tragedy has resulted in significant changes, including the creation of the Building Safety Act 2022.

As the report's release approaches, it is expected to provide a comprehensive analysis of the factors that contributed to the deadliest structural fire in the United Kingdom since the 1988 Piper Alpha disaster, and potentially lead to further reforms in building safety and social housing policies.