MP welcomes departure of Grenfell Tower-linked housing boss

David Pinto-Duschinsky said he had written to council-owned company The Barnet Group calling for them to “reconsider their decision” to appoint Laura Johnson reports David Floyd

Hendon MP David Pinto-Duschinsky (credit parliament.uk)

David Pinto-Duschinsky has welcomed the news that a housing boss criticised by the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire has left her post at the company that manages Barnet’s council housing.

The Hendon MP told Barnet Post that he had written to the chair of The Barnet Group to question the decision to employ Laura Johnson as group director of development and property at The Barnet Group, the council-owned company which operates Barnet Homes.

Johnson was director of housing at Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea at the time of the fire, which killed 72 in 2017. She was criticised by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry for a series of decisions taken before the fire.

Having initially been appointed on an interim basis in 2024, Johnson was given the role permanently earlier this year.

After reports of Johnson’s departure, Pinto-Duschinsky told the Post: “It’s right that Laura Johnson has left her position. I wrote to the Chair of the Barnet Group several weeks ago to share my deep concerns over her appointment and to demand they reconsider their decision to appoint her.

He added: “Someone who was criticised by the Grenfell Inquiry should have never been appointed.”

News of the housing boss’s exit was also welcomed by Barnet only Green councillor Charli Thompson, who had previously described Johnson’s appointment as “appalling”.

However, Thompson signalled that the fact that Johnson had now left The Barnet Group would not prevent her from raising questions about “accountability” at an upcoming council meeting.

She told the Post: “I welcome the news that Laura Johnson is no longer employed by The Barnet Group, and I want to pay tribute to Grenfell United, the bereaved families, survivors, trade unionists and local residents who have spoken out so powerfully.”

“But while this news is welcome, it raises a fundamental question: why was this appointment made in the first place?”

“I had already prepared a question for full Council about the standards of accountability expected when appointing people to senior, safety-critical roles. That question still stands.”

She added: “The people of Barnet deserve answers, and the families and survivors of Grenfell deserve nothing less than genuine accountability.”

Earlier today, a Barnet Group spokesperson told the Post: “We can confirm that Laura Johnson is no longer employed by The Barnet Group. In common with any employer, we owe obligations of confidentiality to those working for us, applying for, or being considered for any role at any level. For that reason, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.”

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