Nick Clashes With Caller In Heated Debate About Ethnicity Of Grenfell Tower Panel
26 July 2017, 08:32 | Updated: 26 July 2017, 10:59
Nick Ferrari became increasingly frustrated with this caller as he repeatedly asked why skin colour mattered when it comes to the Grenfell Tower panel.
There have been calls for Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the retired judge leading the inquiry into the Grenfell Tower disaster, to step down and for greater ethnic diversity on the panel.
Angry Grenfell residents tell judge 'we need someone real'
Nick Ferrari thinks the panel should be selected on merit, not on ethnicity, but this caller disagreed. Strongly.
The caller, Eril, said it is important there is ethnic diversity on the panel, so that those affected feel represented, and there are other people who would qualified to do the job but who are also representative.
He said that residents need to have "more confidence" in the panel, as they feel betrayed by the current authorities.
Nick doesn't understand why skin colour comes into it.
He said: "And that's going to be made right, is it, by seeing some non-white faces Eril?"
The caller replied: "Well it's about confidence."
Nick wasn't convinced. He said: "Eril, I'm going to use this example again, because I think it's a very good one.
"Eril, Eril, God forbid you need to see a doctor or a surgeon today, are you honestly going to ask for one that's a skin colour of your choice?"
Eril agreed with that point, but didn't think it was relevant. He proceeded to make his point about residents' "confidence", and at the moment they are very "skeptical" of the panel.
Nick interjected: "I'll tell you what. Let's do it your way, right?
"Let's work out the population of the area, and it's probably going to be, I don't know, 20 per cent British, probably 15 per cent Moroccan, let's say eight per cent Nigerian, and let's just get the people who represent that.
"Whether they have any experience in building regulations, or health and safety, it doesn't matter. But thank God they're Moroccan. Have you ever heard such cobblers in your life?"
The feud didn't stop there. Watch the clip above to hear how it ended.
The caller phoned after lawyer Peter Herbert, Chair of the Society of Black Lawyers & Part of BME Lawyers-4-Grenfell, spoke to Nick Ferrari with a similar sentiment. Watch the second clip to hear what he had to say about the panel.
