former Judge and Solicitor General, Sir Ross Cranston,
announced as Chair of independent inquiry into 24 November 2021
Channel crossing tragedy, announced on 9 November 2023
terms of reference also published, with inquiry designed
to allow a public, transparent hearing into the circumstances of
the deaths to take place
inquiry will examine the events of 24 November 2021, when
at least 27 people lost their lives crossing the Channel
Former judge and Solicitor General, Sir Ross Cranston, is to
chair the independent inquiry into the events of 24 November
2021, when at least 27 people lost their lives crossing the
Channel.
The Cranston Inquiry will look into who the deceased were, and
when, where and in what circumstances they came by their deaths.
It will also consider what further lessons can be learned from
the events of 24 November 2021 and, if appropriate, make
recommendations to reduce the risk of a similar event occurring.
The inquiry was announced on 9
November 2023 by the Transport Secretary, , following the publication of a
report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) outlining the
circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Transport Secretary, , said:
This inquiry will allow a thorough and independent investigation
into the circumstances of the deaths to take place.
I’m grateful that Sir Ross Cranston has agreed to chair the
inquiry into this tragic event. I know that Sir Ross will conduct
his work with thoroughness and professionalism.
I hope this inquiry will give the families of the victims the
clarity they deserve.
Chair of the inquiry, Sir Ross Cranston, said:
I have been appointed to Chair the independent inquiry into the
tragic incident in the Channel on 24 November 2021.
My inquiry will enable the survivors and family members of the
deceased to be heard and to identify lessons that can be learned
to avoid a similar tragedy in the future.
I aim to complete the inquiry and deliver my report to the
Secretary of State for Transport as expeditiously as possible and
will announce how the inquiry will proceed shortly.
See the terms of reference for the
inquiry for more information.
Sir Ross Cranston is a professor of law at the London School of
Economics and Political Science. He is a former Judge of the High
Court of England and Wales, who sat in the Queen’s Bench Division
and, in 2016, became the judge in charge of the Administrative
Court. In his political career, Sir Ross was MPfor Dudley North between 1997 and
2005 and Solicitor General for England and Wales from 1998 to
2001.
Sir Ross has served on missions for the United Nations Conference
on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Commonwealth Secretariat,
the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the
European Commission. He was, until 2022, Chair of Trustees of the
British and Irish Legal Information Institute (BAILII), which
provides free access to British, Irish and European Union legal
material. In 2018, he chaired a committee of JUSTICE, which
published a report: Immigration
and asylum appeals – a fresh look. In 2019, he conducted an
independent assurance review of Lloyds Bank’s handling of claims
arising from fraud committed at the HSBOS Impaired Assets Office.
Rory Phillips KC, of 3
Verulam Buildings (3VB) Chambers, has been appointed Counsel to
the inquiry. Stephen Brown, Deputy Director in the government
legal department, has been appointed Solicitor to the inquiry.
The inquiry is on X (formerly Twitter) with the handle
@CranstonInquiry. A website for the inquiry will be launched in
due course.
