Barnet Group Removes Former Grenfell Housing Director Laura Johnson

The Barnet Group has removed Laura Johnson from her position as director of development and property. Johnson, who earned a salary of £157,078, had been appointed to the role in August but faced intense criticism from survivors and bereaved families of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire.

Johnson previously served as the housing director for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. A subsequent inquiry found that she pushed for a lower-budget contractor to implement cost-cutting measures at Grenfell Tower, which led to the installation of combustible plastic-filled panels instead of metal cladding. The fire ultimately killed 72 people.

The organization confirmed Johnson's departure in a letter to Labour MP Joe Powell, though it cited confidentiality obligations and did not provide a specific reason for the termination. The move comes as the Metropolitan Police have asked prosecutors to consider charges of manslaughter and fraud against 54 individuals and 20 organizations linked to the disaster.