Grenfell inquiry cuts ties with auditor following campaigners' letter to Theresa May
2 min read
The Grenfell Tower inquiry has cancelled its contract with a major auditing company after campaigners, including MPs, raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
KPMG had been the auditor of three of the firms under scrutiny by the inquiry into the tower block fire, in which 71 people died last year.
The move came after campaigners, including Labour MPs Emma Dent-Coad and Clive Lewis, co-signed a letter to the Prime Minister urging her to reverse KPMG's appointment amid concerns it would "only further fuel rumours of a deliberate cover-up and erode public trust."
The firm said it had "mutually agreed with the inquiry" to step down with immediate effect.
A statement released by the inquiry said: "Following concerns expressed by some core participants, the inquiry team has discussed the contract with KPMG which has agreed that its work should now cease.
"The support and confidence of all core participants is integral to the work of the inquiry."
KPMG said while it was confident there were no conflicts of interest between its work for the inquiry and other clients, they had recognised the "strength of opinion” about the potential of their role “undermining confidence".
"We have therefore mutually agreed with the inquiry that we will step down from our role with immediate effect,” a spokeswoman said.
"We were appointed to advise on structuring a project management office for the Grenfell Tower public inquiry.
"Our role was purely operational and advised on project management best practice and had no role advising on the substance of the inquiry. We will waive our fees for our work undertaken to date."
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