Blog

In this article, ahead of the publication of the final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Steve Tombs gives three observations on the Inquiry and the likely import of its final report.

Seven years ago, on 14^th June 2017, a fire broke out in Grenfell Tower, a 24-storey tower block on the Lancaster West estate in North Kensington, West London, a relatively poor and ethnically diverse area of social housing located in the richest Borough in England. 72 people were killed.

In this article, Sharon Hartles explores the ongoing challenges that Primodos survivors encounter in seeking justice. She discusses the impact of new evidence and advocacy efforts, highlighting the resilience of those involved in the quest for accountability. Sharon Hartles is a member of the Harm and Evidence Research Collaborative at the Open University. Additionally, she is affiliated with the Risky Hormones research project, an international collaboration in partnership with patient groups.

The UK government is consulting on plans to stop publishing vital statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on deaths of homeless people. This article sets out why they should continue to be published.

Increasing demands for greater intellectual diversity have drawn attention to the under representation of racially minoritised groups in UK higher education institutions (HEIs). However, as this post explores, there is much more that British universities can do to improve recruitment experiences for racially minoritised academics.

This study is concerned with the roots of Everton Football Club and, given their shared heritage, Liverpool Football Club. It concerns a dimension to the history of both clubs that has been largely overlooked but should be considered in light of Liverpool’s ongoing civic reckoning with its historic slave trade connection. The research carried out suggests that the foundation period of professional football on Merseyside was marked by the patronage of well-known figures in Liverpool society who, directly or indirectly, profited from the exploitation of slavery and other forms of coerced labour.

In this article, Sharon Hartles highlights the high-profile legal battle involving numerous Primodos-affected claimants against pharmaceutical companies and the government. The court ruled against the claimants, dismissing their claims related to hormone pregnancy tests and foetal harm. This decision led to disappointment and criticism from advocates, MPs, and academics involved in the Primodos scandal. Sharon Hartles is affiliated with the Risky Hormones research project, which is an international collaboration in partnership with patient groups. Additionally, she is a member of the Harm and Evidence Research Collaborative at the Open University.

In this article, Sharon Hartles explores the Supreme Court of India's decision to dismiss the long-standing legal battle over the Bhopal disaster settlement, marking a crucial moment in the pursuit of justice. As the 40th anniversary fast approaches, this preventable tragedy serves as a reminder of the importance of human lives over profit. Sharon Hartles is a member of the Open University’s Harm and Evidence Research Collaborative and is a member of the British Society of Criminology.

A Scottish pilot will see rape trials conducted without juries in what could set a dangerous precedent. In this article Dr Lee John Curley and Dr James Munro (both lecturers in Psychology at the Open University) discuss rape myths and judge only trials.  This article was initially published in the Conversation here: https://theconversation.com/jurors-who-believe-rape-myths-contribute-to-dismal-conviction-rates-but-judge-only-trials-wont-solve-the-problem-205066

In this article, Sharon Hartles presents evidence that supports the Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests (ACDHPT) in their legal action against the British government and Bayer, a multinational pharmaceutical company. Despite the obstacles faced by the Primodos-affected families, they continue to fight for justice. Sharon Hartles is affiliated with the Risky Hormones research project, which is an international collaboration in partnership with patient groups. Additionally, she is a member of the Harm and Evidence Research Collaborative at the Open University.