Public inquiries have been an important clearing house in the battle for truth. They’ve settled arguments about who was responsible for national scandals and tragedies and, crucially, taken the pen away from people in power and given it to victims and campaigners. In this episode, James Harding and guests ask: in the age of social media, when anyone can hold the pen, can the idea of the public inquiry survive?   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.