Grenfell survivors speak out against 'seven-year delay to justice' - as criminal prosecutions not expected for two years
4 September 2024, 17:16 | Updated: 4 September 2024, 17:29
Survivors of the Grenfell Tower tragedy and bereaved have spoken of the "seven-year delay to justice" following the final report into the fire which claimed the lives of 72 people.
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The damning report found the victims were failed by a mixture of incompetence, dishonesty and greed.
Inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick said the block in west London was covered in flammable products due to the "systemic dishonesty" of firms involved.
The Prime Minister has vowed to stop those companies from securing government contracts in the future.
Sir Keir apologised on behalf of the British state to the victims of the fire.
Addressing MPs in the Commons he pledged to consider all of the Inquiry's recommendations to make sure "such a tragedy cannot occur again".
Survivor Francis Dean has criticised what he called the "seven-year delay to justice" as he and others continue to wait for criminal prosecutions to be brought.
At a briefing given by members of a support group for the next of kin in central London, he said: "Since that night I've not been the same person, I'm messed up".
"The government at the time promised us justice.
"I hope this current Government can take up the lead."
Read more: Grenfell Tower: Minute by minute of how the tragedy unfolded
Similarly, a man whose sister was killed said the inquiry has delayed the justice owed to him and other bereaved families.
"No one has asked me if I wanted this inquiry", Karim Khalloufi, whose sister Khadija was among the 72 who died, told a press conference in central London.
"Maybe I will die without having justice," he added at the briefing given by members of a support group for the next of kin of the victims.
Another victim's relative told the event at the Royal Lancaster London hotel he wanted manslaughter charges to be brought, adding "nothing else will do".
The Crown Prosecution Service has said decisions on potential criminal prosecutions are not expected for another two years.
Tom Swarbrick diagnoses what went wrong with the Grenfell disaster
Hisam Choucair, who lost six family members in the Grenfell Fire disaster, said watching witnesses "laugh" while giving evidence during the inquiry "burns me inside".
Mr Choucair thanked the Grenfell Inquiry for its findings but said it had prevented prosecutions from being brought.
"This inquiry was forced on us," he said at a briefing given by members of a support group for the next of kin in central London.
"It's delayed the justice my family deserves."
'Successive state failures'
The Grenfell Inquiry report is "a damning indictment of over 30 years of successive state failures", former prime minister Rishi Sunak told the House of Commons.
Responding to Sir Keir Starmer's statement on the inquiry report, Mr Sunak said: "Whilst the Grenfell community's loss will have left a hole nothing will ever be able to fill, I hope that whatever healing is possible from today, that each and every one of them takes some small measure of it.
"I know they will never forget the 72 people who tragically lost their lives, and nor shall we.
"Today's publication, as the Prime Minister said, is to put it bluntly, a damning indictment of over 30 years of successive state failures, stretching as far back as Knowsley Heights in 1991 and then multiple incidents from there.
"Sir Martin Moore-Bick and the work of the inquiry have painted a picture of systemic indifference, failure and in some notable cases, dishonesty and greed."
Caller on the 'haunting' faults with Grenfell Tower being ignored by authorities prior to the fire
