Coffee House Shots cover image

Coffee House Shots

What's the point of public inquiries?

Jan 11, 2025
Isabel Hardman, assistant editor at The Spectator, offers insightful political analysis, while Raja Miah, an anti-grooming gang campaigner, advocates fervently for public inquiries. They delve into the recent parliamentary vote against a national inquiry into grooming gangs, questioning the effectiveness of past inquiries like Grenfell and the Post Office. The discussion highlights the need for focused investigations and the hurdles political dynamics create, emphasizing the importance of accountability to rebuild trust among victims and communities.
20:05

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The discussion highlights that public inquiries are essential for accountability, yet past inquiries often yield minimal actionable change and reforms.
  • Amidst political and media dynamics, the need for a more collaborative approach in conducting inquiries is crucial for achieving meaningful outcomes for victims.

Deep dives

Importance of Public Inquiries

Public inquiries have become a pivotal element in addressing significant societal issues, notably the grooming gang scandal. Campaigners emphasize that the quest for truth and justice requires a thorough investigation beyond local jurisdictions, which often lack adequate powers to summon witnesses or gather evidence effectively. The failure of previous local inquiries to provide comprehensive insights has fueled demands for a national public inquiry, as survivors and advocates believe these investigations are essential for accountability and exposing systemic failures. This need for a broader inquiry is underscored by the historical context, where important findings have often been minimal or overlooked in previous reports, necessitating deeper scrutiny into such critical matters.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode