Leigh Day and INQUEST to call for mechanism to properly respond to and prevent deaths at Labour Party Conference

Bereaved families and expert human rights lawyers will renew calls for the government to establish a National Oversight Mechanism. This would be a new, independent public body responsible for collating, analysing and following-up on recommendations arising from investigations into state-related deaths. 

The need for real transparency and accountability is needed now more than ever. Earlier this month, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry published its final report on the avoidable deaths of 72 people in the 2017 fire. 

The inquiry recommended the government introduce a new legal mechanism to publish recommendations and their responses to enable scrutiny of action from Parliament. 

The event will hear from INQUEST’s Director Deborah Coles, co-founder of Leigh Day Martyn Day, Chair of Grenfell United Natasha Elcock, bereaved family member and father of Matthew Caseby Richard Caseby, and Emma Jones, a partner in the human rights team at Leigh Day who led a team of lawyers on the Infected Blood Inquiry. Joe Powell MP for Kensington and Bayswater will also be speaking on the panel. 

The event will take place Sunday 22 September, 15.30 – 16.30, ACC Arena Room 6.  

Deborah Coles, Director of INQUEST, said:  

“Countless inquests and multiple inquiries have pointed to the need for robust follow-up to ensure recommendations are taken seriously.

We encourage those attending the upcoming Labour Party conference to join us at our event to hear why a National Oversight Mechanism is a timely and positive reform the government needs to make.”  

Leigh Day partner Leanne Devine recently expanded the firm’s human rights work to Liverpool, offering legal aid funded work relating to inquests involving the state and claims against public authorities.    

Leanne said: 

“The families we represent are often frustrated by the lack of follow-up on life-saving recommendations from inquiries into state-related deaths. It is a critical issue of justice and accountability.

Without a robust, independent mechanism to ensure that lessons are acted upon, there are repeated avoidable tragedies. We see this regularly through the cases that we deal with.

A National Oversight Mechanism is essential to protect lives, uphold human rights, and ensure that bereaved families are heard and that meaningful change follows these devastating losses.”   

Emma Jones, human rights partner at Leigh Day, said: 

“As we have seen through countless inquests and public inquiries, from Grenfell to the Contaminated Blood Inquiry, recommendations alone are not enough. There must be a system in place to ensure that these findings lead to real, tangible change.

A National Oversight Mechanism would provide the essential accountability needed to prevent future deaths and offer justice for bereaved families who deserve more than just promises of reform.”