Alarm bells still ringing: Time for change at London Fire Brigade – culture reform can’t wait
19 May 2025, 13:51 | Updated: 19 May 2025, 14:26
The London Fire Brigade must do more to tackle toxic workplace culture. That's the stark warning I'm issuing today as a new Fire Commissioner is set to take charge this Friday.
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Three years after Nazir Afzal's damning report exposed institutional racism and misogyny at the London Fire Brigade, the alarm bells are still ringing.
I saw that firsthand when I led a cross-party investigation of the London Assembly into what was really happening behind station doors.
Current and former firefighters shared deeply troubling stories about their experiences of racist and sexist bullying.
One of the most worrying themes that came up in their testimony was the fear of the personal consequences for reporting complaints against their colleagues and superior officers.
Institutionally, the LFB simply does not yet have adequate safeguards in place to instil confidence and trust that the Brigade won’t close ranks on those who speak out.
Because the Brigade's new Professional Standards Unit, trumpeted as the solution by both the Mayor and outgoing Commissioner Andy Roe, remains fundamentally flawed.
Not only is it slow and under-resourced, more critically still, it lacks any real independence.
Commissioner Roe might have called culture change a "key pillar" of his leadership, but progress to increase diversity among firefighters and to establish an effective complaints process has not been fast enough.
Roe also raised the prospect of funding for diversity efforts needing to be cut due to budget pressures.
That would be a catastrophic mistake.
In today's climate, with parties like Reform UK actively fighting against inclusion initiatives, the new Commissioner must double down, not back down.
Diversity and Inclusion at the LFB isn't some political football to be used as part of a divisive culture war. When firefighters fear speaking out about misconduct, it puts both them and the public at risk.
So first things first – the Commissioner should stop the Brigade marking its own homework. Appoint an independent Standards Commissioner with real teeth.
Run regular, transparent workforce surveys. And commit to protecting the funding needed to build a brigade which reflects and welcomes all Londoners.
Londoners deserve a fire brigade that faces its internal challenges as bravely as it does any external emergencies.
The moment for decisive action is now – and any new Commissioner must commit to rising to that challenge.
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Hina Bokhari OBE is the leader of the Liberal Democrat Group in the London Assembly, and former chair of the Assembly Fire Committee.
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