Sir Martin Moore-Bick - Unacceptable Grenfell Judge

If the Government are trying to build confidence with families of those who perished in Grenfell Tower,  survivors and communities,   could they  have done a worse job by appointing Sir Martin Moore-Bick?

Two elements that mark out the Grenfell disaster: one often spoke about -class, and the other completely ignored - race.

So when Moore-Bick was confronted with both whilst representing Westminster Council in 2014 in a case involving Titina Nzolameso, he showed scant regard for both. Agreeing with the Council that she should be housed 50 miles away from where she had lived - to save the council money - adding that the Council didn’t have to explain what other accommodation was available outside the borough.

Nzolameso, who had been suffering from mental health issues, argued she desperately needed her network of family and friends and those medical practitioners who had been helping her with her treatment.

Representing Nzolameso and following Judge Moore-Bick’s ruling, Jayesh Kunwardia, of Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors, said:

"This judgment could have dire consequences for vulnerable families across the country.

It gives the green light for councils to engage in social cleansing of the poor on a mass scale. Council tenants are being threatened with homelessness unless they agree to uproot themselves from communities they’ve lived in for years.”

In 2015 Moore- Bick's judgement was overturned at the Supreme Court. The presiding Judge, Lady Hale stated:

"There is little to suggest that serious consideration was given to the authority’s obligations before the decision was taken to offer the property in Bletchley."

The Grenfell Public Inquiry is the most important Inquiry in housing history, but even more than that it will be an Inquiry into how poor people and poor Black people are dealt with by the State over many years.

This man- Sir Martin Moore-Bick- has probably demonstrated he's not the best choice for such an important challenge.

If the Government seek to build confidence with communities they should seriously rethink this appointment.

Simon Woolley