Laura Johnson, who was housing director at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) at the time of the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, has been permanently appointed to a £157,078-a-year role at the Barnet Group, which manages Barnet council's housing stock. The appointment has been condemned by bereaved families and survivors, who say it is disrespectful that someone linked to decisions blamed for contributing to the disaster, in which 72 people died, continues to hold senior, well-paid positions in social housing.

The Grenfell inquiry found that Johnson had pushed for a switch to a cheaper contractor, resulting in combustible cladding being used on the tower, and that she delayed the installation of fire doors for financial and practical reasons despite fire brigade warnings. She had already been serving as interim director of development and property at the Barnet Group, which oversees 13,000 council homes, before being made permanent in August. Grenfell survivor Ed Daffarn called the decision "outrageous," while the Barnet Group said it had considered the inquiry's findings but concluded she was the strongest candidate following a competitive recruitment process.