The Grenfell Tower fire tragedy has knocked this country for six.
The horrifying events of June 14 2017 will be no doubt be permanently etched into the mind's eye of millions, devastated and broken for those who perished and others left behind.
Their pain is unimaginable, torturing and soul-destroying; while attempting to stitch their lives back together and claw back normality they deserve at worst the whole truth and our compassion.
But so many feel that compassion and answers have been lacking - we've witnessed angry protests as demands for information have too often appeared to fall on deaf ears.
On Thursday (June 29) night, the council responsible for the residents of Grenfell Tower and their safety will discuss the tragedy BEHIND CLOSED DOORS .
Further demonstrating its reluctance to be held accountable - it already hot-potatoed the idea it might be to blame for the installation of flammable cladding to the developer - Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council (KCBC) has barred the public and press from its Cabinet meeting.
It fears disruption to proceedings, following the town hall being stormed by protesters on June 16 and this time last year.
Residents' safety was compromised and their vulnerability thrown into the spotlight, what right does anyone have to hold meetings about this in private?
'We'll live-stream the meeting for you, if you like KCBC'
OK, if we and the public are such a risk, why not live-stream the meeting? No public, no press therefore no problem... are we right?
We've asked the council and even offered to do it ourselves on Facebook Live, but heard nothing yet.
We've also noticed that in its Rules of Procedure Standing Order, available to read in full here , the council says the chairman of a meeting has the power to exclude the public if he or she is of the opinion that there shall be a disruption to proceedings (point 31). No press mentioned.
In fact, as Simon Myerson QC so wonderfully points out "it does not normally include press".
We understand that the lack of distinction between public and press in the order and zero evidence that one of our reporters would disrupt proceedings, coupled with the undeniable public interest of the meeting, gives the council not even a matchstick sized legal leg to stand on. If the ban remains, the press could likely demand a (costly) judicial review.
Head of Governance Services at the council, Robert Sheppard, responsible for giving advice to the Cabinet, told getwestlondon "council lawyers are satisfied on the legal basis" and that the press is welcome to challenge it.
When asked if we could speak to the council's lawyers, he redirected us to the press office.
'We're not here to pay lip service to the council'
If the council's not going to let the public into the meeting, once again insulting their capability to handle themselves, at least let "the eyes and ears of the public" do what it does best and report on the damn thing. We repeat, these people deserve at worst the whole truth.
We stress, the press are the eyes and ears of the public; we're not here to pay lip service to the council and publish its carefully crafted "available shared content" - where's the accountability in that?
Here's a suggestion, let the press - the local press no less who also report on bin collections and council "initiatives" - into the meeting and let them live-stream it.
It's a blatantly obvious compromise where everyone's a winner.
Just before 3pm on Thursday, a spokesman told us a full council meeting, open to all, will be held in July.
'Real threats and assaults'
They added: "As you are aware there have been recent real threats and assaults on council staff and damage to one of the office buildings.
"Such risks remain and we have had to take the decision to hold the meeting in private as to do otherwise would likely result in disorder.
"The decision to exclude the public in advance is in accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders which are confirmed in common law.
"A statement will be published by the leader this evening and the minutes of the meeting will be published as soon as possible following the meeting."
Still no mention of why press are banned, then?
The Department for Communities and Local Government has been contacted for comment.
We'll be live blogging from outside the town hall as the meeting gets under way, stay tuned.
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