Theresa May has rejected a request from survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire to appoint a decision-making, diverse panel to sit alongside the head of the public inquiry.

The request from bereaved family members, which was backed by a petition signed by more than 22,000 people, was sent to the prime minister amid concerns over Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s ability to relate to the survivors.

On Friday, May wrote to the retired court of appeal judge to announce that additional panel members would not be added at this stage of the inquiry. Under the Inquiries Act 2005, only the prime minister has the power to change an inquiry’s format.

Despite the decision, the prime minister said she was “particularly pleased” to hear of proposals to establish an advisory panel, which would provide advice and guidance to Moore-Bick.

This “could play a very beneficial role in putting those most affected at the heart of the inquiry and enabling them to ensure that their views and experiences are heard,” she wrote.

However, members of such a consultative group would not be able to make decisions, and lawyers for affected families have made clear this would not be a satisfactory alternative.

The move has provoked outrage from representatives of the survivors, who have 14 days to formally request a judicial review of the prime minister’s decision.

Speaking on behalf of bereaved families, Adel Chaoui – who lost four relatives in the fire – questioned the timing of the decision.

“Not only does the news continue to ignore our concerns, but it seems to have been timed deliberately, on the last working day for most law firms, to limit the time available for us to take legal advice and/or challenge the decision.

“Given the news was never going to be well received, the timing raises serious questions about judgment and intent.

“Poor judgment and discourtesy not to have waited until the new year to avoid upset during the holidays, but more concerning, what could possibly be behind the intent to limit time available for a response?”



The decision has been described as “shameful” and “a huge mistake” by Labour MP David Lammy, who took to social media to express his anger.

This is a huge mistake. This will further damage an inquiry that has already got off to a shaky start. This is a slap in the face to survivors and the families of victims who specifically asked for this. Also raises question of who is this inquiry for - is it for them or the PM? — David Lammy (@DavidLammy) December 22, 2017

In the letter to Moore-Bick, May said she felt the investigation had “the necessary expertise to undertake its work”.

She added: “I am also very conscious of the need for the inquiry to complete its initial report as quickly as reasonably possible. I therefore consider that additional panel members should not be appointed at this stage.”