A group which works with many of the survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire has launched a crowdfunding campaign so that its voice can be heard on the public inquiry.
BMELawyers4Grenfell wants £2,500 to support a judicial review of the decision to refuse it core participant status in the Grenfell Tower inquiry .
It says it is “uniquely placed as an organisation” to assist inquiry chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick .
Core participant status ables an individual, group or organisation to take an active role in the inquiry process and help shape its direction.
Grenfell Tower fire
The Grenfell public inquiry received 545 applications for core participant status, with 393 applications granted, 111 refused and 41 deferred or are still being considered.
BMELawyers4Grenfell is a coalition of lawyers from black minority ethnic backgrounds who assist those who have survived the fire and those who live close to the tower.
It said in a statement: “As a group with members that regularly make representations on issues like disproportionate allocation of social housing to BME communities, the disabled and vulnerable migrant communities - all issues that relate to Grenfell Tower - BMELawyers4Grenfell will argue they are uniquely placed as an organisation to be granted core participant status in the inquiry.”
BMELawyers4Grenfell is made up of a range of groups including Society of Black Lawyers, the Society of Asian Lawyers, Blaksox, Black Activists Rising Against Cuts UK, Operation Black Vote and The Association of Black Probation Officers.
Peter Herbert, chairman of the Society of Black Lawyers, said: “We are seeking to have a seat at the inquiry which has no diversity in the inquiry team, no housing or local authority expert to sit with this High Court Judge.
“We do not want to see another Hillsborough type cover up . We are fighting to honour the memory of the 70 residents who paid with their lives for the negligence and cost cutting exercises of others.”
Prime Minister Theresa May ordered the Grenfell inquiry on the June 15, the day after the inferno engulfed the tower.
BMELawyers4Grenfell was refused core participant status by Sir Martin on October 12.
The inquiry was formally opened on September 14.
Click here to see the BMELawyers4Grenfell crowdfunding page.
Keep up to date with the latest news in west London via the free getwestlondon app.
You can even set it to receive push notifications for all the breaking news in your area
Available to download from the App Store or Google Play for Android now.
