Tues 7th July

“Inquests and inquiries serve as society’s formal responses to the most traumatic events it endures. This year, COVID-19 led to the suspension of all public inquiry hearings, although not before the Grenfell Tower Inquiry was mired in fresh controversies regarding the appointment of panellists and undertakings from the Attorney General. The Manchester Arena Inquiry, converted from an inquest on account of closed material, also made headlines when survivors of the attack were denied core participant status. Meanwhile, guidance from the Chief Coroner suggesting that inquests will not be the correct forum to investigate “high-level government or public policy” such as national arrangements for PPE sparked discussion around how the State will fulfil its Article 2 obligations in investigating coronavirus deaths. Whether Government will see fit to establish a public inquiry into its own handling of the crisis remains to be seen. This panel will explore the realities of these challenges for all actors in light of the State’s human rights obligations.”