Grenfell

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry was established to investigate the circumstances leading up to the fire on 14 June 2017. The Inquiry was split into two phases: Phase 1 focused on the factual narrative of the night itself, while Phase 2 examined the underlying causes, including the refurbishment of the tower, the testing and marketing of construction products, and the role of central and local government.

The final Phase 2 report, published in September 2024, delivered a devastating indictment of the construction industry and the authorities. It found that the manufacturers of the cladding (Arconic) and insulation (Celotex and Kingspan) had engaged in "systematic dishonesty," deliberately manipulating fire tests and misleading the market about the safety of their products. This was compounded by a regulatory system that was "unfit for purpose," where the British Board of Agrément (BBA) and Local Authority Building Control (LABC) failed to provide the necessary oversight.

Sir Martin Moore-Bick also concluded that the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) and its Tenant Management Organisation (TMO) bore "considerable responsibility" for the dangerous condition of the tower. He described a "persistent indifference" to fire safety and a failure to listen to the warnings of residents. Furthermore, the report criticised central government for ignoring the lessons of previous fires (such as Lakanal House in 2009) and for its drive toward deregulation, which prioritised the interests of the construction industry over public safety.

The Inquiry has fundamentally reshaped the UK’s approach to building safety. It led to the Building Safety Act 2022 and the creation of a new Building Safety Regulator. As of 2026, the government remains under intense scrutiny as it works through the implementation of the final 58 recommendations, including the establishment of a single construction regulator and a total overhaul of the fire engineering profession.