London Assembly unanimously approves Dismore motion on Coroner

At today’s London Assembly plenary session, Andrew Dismore AM, Labour London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden proposed a motion critical of the conduct of the Senior Coroner for Inner North London, Mary Hassell, in the way that she has refused to respond to the particular requirements of Jewish and Muslim bereaved families in her jurisdiction. (text of motion below). (video here and here)

After the debate, Mr Dismore said:

‘To sustain the positive community relations upon which London thrives, it is essential that we should respect the diverse religious and cultural traditions of our city’s various communities. It is clear that Ms Hassell has not observed religious sensitivities, after repeated failures to facilitate prompt burials of their deceased loved ones for Jewish and Muslim bereaved families. I am pleased that the Assembly has added its voice to the growing list of those who find this coroner’s behaviour unacceptable. The London Assembly will be writing to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office, Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice on this matter and it is to be hoped that they can bring some pressure to bear on Ms Hassell to mend her ways and if not to remove her.’

In moving the motion Mr Dismore said:

‘It is important that we take into account specific requirements of someone’s faith, especially when they’ve lost a loved one and are grieving.’

‘These are the words of Prime Minister Theresa May yesterday at PMQs, in response to a question about the conduct of the Senior Coroner for Inner North London, Mary Hassell.

‘It’s not often, if ever, that the Prime Minister, Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Opposition, the Mayors and Leaders of Hackney, Camden, Tower Hamlets, and Islington, the Mayor of London, MPs from across the House, the Jewish and Muslim communities, and even the Law Society Gazette can agree on something but on this issue they do; and I hope and expect all of us here can agree too.

‘The boroughs under Ms Hassell’s jurisdiction are home to amongst the largest Jewish and Muslim communities in the country.

‘According to the Jewish and Muslim faiths it is an important principle that a deceased person should be buried as soon as possible after death, and ideally the day of death. It is therefore customary to make every effort to expedite the burial.

‘Over the past four and a half years bereaved relatives in her jurisdiction have faced bureaucracy and inflexible procedures that have led to delay especially for those of the Jewish and Muslim faiths, who have not seen the bodies of their deceased released promptly.

‘Elsewhere, CT or MRI scans have avoided the need for invasive autopsies, also against their faiths. The failure to allow Jewish relatives to ‘watch over’ bodies or commence mourning ‘sitting shiva’ adds to distress.

‘Ms Hassell is unapologetic over her approach, which she calls the ‘cab rank’ rule. But hearses do not come off a rank. Different communities have different expectations and needs.

‘Of course there may be exceptions, but for most bereaved people of Christian, other faith or indeed no faith backgrounds, we know a funeral is not so time critical and normally arranged some time later than the day of death or the next day, the requirement for Jews and Muslims.

‘One has to question what Ms Hassell’s motive was in applying for the job here in the first place; did she not do any research to establish the needs and the nature of the communities she would be dealing with? Or in applying for the post, was her intention to offer a deliberate and insensitive snub to them?

‘Or has she a hidden agenda, implied in her letter to Mayor Biggs of Tower Hamlets, a demand for more resources and better premises? If so, it is outrageous that she is holding these communities hostage in this way, as some form of twisted leverage against the councils consortium that pays for her. If she has a grievance about funding, then she should join the very long queue of public bodies that have faced cuts over the last few years and adapted to circumstances.

‘Whatever the reason her approach is utterly unacceptable.

‘The problem is no-one seems to be able to persuade her or discipline her into behaving in a more sensitive way.

‘The boroughs who pay her and for her office have absolutely no say in the service. The people who pay the piper definitely do not call the tune when it comes to this coroner.

‘Perhaps she relies on judicial independence; but that is no excuse. When I was out of office, I was appointed as a tribunal judge. Part of the judicial selection process is to test awareness of cultural sensitivity and an ability to respond appropriately. What went wrong here?

‘A number of community members have shared their fear of dying in Ms Hassell’s jurisdiction. People have talked of relocating to other parts of London or even leaving the country to avoid dying under her jurisdiction. One lady recently stated that she purchased a plot to be buried in Jerusalem, and will try to make sure that she will not be in London before she dies. One person, an aged holocaust survivor said that he felt as though he had returned to a regime of horror and persecution.

‘Ms Hassell’s actions are all the more unfortunate when almost all coroners around the UK go out of their way to try to provide a sensitive and appropriate service to people from diverse backgrounds. Coroners around the UK routinely show an understanding of the need for Jews and Muslims to bury quickly, and generally take reasonable steps to try to accommodate that need.

‘The conduct of Ms Hassell has been raised at the highest level of the judiciary and Government. It is time for us on the Assembly to add our voice too.

‘We also should write to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office, the Lord Chancellor, Chief Coroner and Lord Chief Justice expressing our serious concern about the comments, decisions and actions of the coroner; and call upon the Mayor to do the same.

‘We have to do all we can to stop Ms Hassell causing our Jewish and Muslim communities this appalling   hassle, when suffering bereavement on the death of a loved one.

‘London is proud of its multicultural, multi faith society and Londoners of whatever faith or none are entitled to benefit from the delivery of their public services in a sensitive way. Ms Hassell should mend her ways or go.’

ENDS

Notes for editors:

Text of Mr Dismore’s motion:

The following motion has been proposed in the name of Andrew Dismore AM and seconded by Unmesh Desai AM:

“The requirement of the Mayor and Greater London Authority to promote good relations between Londoners belonging to different racial groups, religious beliefs and sexual orientation is as important today as it ever has been. We welcome the Mayor’s commitment on this issue and the work that has been done to date.

However, this Assembly is concerned that the conduct of the Senior Coroner for Inner North London, Mary Hassell, is failing Jewish and Muslim residents of Camden, Hackney, Islington and Tower Hamlets in respect of the particular requirements of those faiths concerning the deceased. According to the Jewish and Muslim faiths it is an important principle that a deceased person should be buried as soon as possible after death, and ideally the day of death. It is therefore customary to make every effort to expedite the burial. Over the past four and a half years bereaved relatives in the jurisdiction of the Senior Coroner for Inner North London have expressed grave concern that increased bureaucracy and inflexible procedures has led to delays and reduced the quality of service to the public, especially those of the Jewish and Muslim faiths.

In addition, the close members of a Jewish family cannot begin the mourning process until after the funeral – known as “sitting shiva”. As this does not commence until after the burial the family also suffers from any delay. Concerns have also been raised about insensitive rules imposed by the Coroner for Inner North London such as the refusal to permit the Jewish community to use private mortuaries to watch over and perform traditional cultural or religious practices until burial.

Whilst other coroner’s offices, knowing of religious obligations for prompt burials, demonstrate flexibility wherever possible, the Senior Coroner for Inner North London has shown little regard for ethnic or religious sensitivities, and many of her imposed rules, bureaucracy, and unnecessary delays offend traditional and/or religious practices[1]. This part of London is amongst the most diverse in the country. Ms Hassell’s insensitive behaviour– probably unique in our local public services –   flies in the face of harmonious community relations.

This Assembly welcomes the Mayor’s comments, supporting the Jewish Board of Deputies in writing to the Lord Chancellor. This Assembly resolves to write to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office, Lord Chancellor, Chief Coroner and Lord Chief Justice expressing our serious concern about the comments, decisions and actions of the coroner; and calls upon the Mayor to do the same.”

[1] Jewish leaders call for London coroner to be fired over burial delays, The Guardian, 19.01.2018

  Jewish leaders call on Inner North London coroner to quit, BBC, 19.01.2018

Coroner criticised over Jewish and Muslim burials, ES, 12.01.2018

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