Lawyers for Grenfell community criticise ‘bullying’ Pickles
Lawyers for the Grenfell Tower community have criticised Eric Pickles for his “bullying” behaviour at the inquiry into the fire last week, and questioned whether his attitude impacted the efficiency of the government department he ran.
Last week, former communities secretary Mr Pickles caused headlines when he told the inquiry’s counsel to move on from a topic because he had an “extremely busy” afternoon.
He also offended survivors and bereaved by describing those killed in the fire as “nameless” and saying there were 96 victims, instead of the correct figure of 72.
Today, the inquiry published an email from Mr Pickles in which he apologised for the “unintended mistake” over the death toll, saying he had confused the fire with the Hillsborough Stadium crush.
“In the last few weeks my mind was also on other tragedies, including Hillsborough,” he wrote. “In my final remarks I misspoke and referenced the 96 people who died in and immediately after Hillsborough. I apologise to the family and friends of the 72 people who died at Grenfell for this unintended mistake, which was unscripted.
“The dead are remembered not as a statistic but with dignity by their families, survivors and all of us.”
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His apology did not address the use of the word “nameless” to describe the deceased.
He also apologised while giving evidence for his comments about being “extremely busy” and cancelled his afternoon meeting.
Today, the inquiry opened the phase of its investigation that examines the aftermath of the fire.
This phase will examine the actions of the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), which held responsibility within central government for overseeing the council’s emergency response.
Mr Pickles led DCLG between 2010 and 2015, leaving two years before the fire in June 2017.
But Danny Friedman QC, appearing for bereaved and survivors today, questioned whether the department remained “a house that Eric built”.
He said: “Systems are not made by single individuals, but you will need to consider in terms of policy and workplace culture, how much the DCLG of 2017 was something of a house that Eric built.
“And in terms of what it was like to work in DCLG, it is right to ask if a minister can exhibit bullying tendencies in this inquiry room before its panel, when questioned by your counsel, what was it like for civil servants identifying problems to him? And how much had this become a disaffected and badly led department in those years?”
Imran Khan QC, appearing for a different group of bereaved and survivors, added: “Let’s be clear, that those that were taken [at Grenfell] were not nameless individuals. They had names and they had lives, which were prematurely cut short.”
Professor Leslie Thomas QC, appearing for a third group, added that the evidence of “government ministers to this inquiry during the last week, culminating in the evidence of Lord Pickles, demonstrates more than ever the need for public officials and bodies to be bound by a duty of candour”.
Mr Pickles was made a knight in May 2015 and a peer in May 2018, almost a year after the Grenfell Tower fire.
The inquiry continues.
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