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TLC Zoom
Wednesday 4th March 2026 18:00 GMT
The Merrittocracy – The Legacy of Jack Merritt
Laura Suggitt and Lewis Taylor
Let me cast your minds back to our TLC event on 24th February 2024 entitled ‘Transforming Tragedy into Triumph’. Do you remember that the presenters were Darryn Frost QPM and Steve Gallant QPM?
On 29 November 2019, amidst the historic walls of Fishmongers’ Hall, a stone’s throw away from London Bridge, a tragedy unfolded.
The venue was hosting a conference by Learning Together, a Cambridge University initiative championing the education of offenders.
Among the attendees was Usman Khan, a convicted terrorist who had recently been released from prison.
Without warning, Khan, armed with knives and displaying a fake suicide vest, launched into a violent rampage that resulted in the deaths of two Cambridge University graduates, Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones, and left three others seriously injured.
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Several attendees fought back, including Darryn Frost (who grabbed a narwhal tusk) and Steve Gallant, who was present on day-release from prison and there to represent the potential for transformation.
Working together to halt Khan’s killing spree, they eventually pursued him out of the hall and pinned him to the ground on London Bridge. A short while later, armed officers from the City of London Police arrived and fatally shot Khan.
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The true triumph lies not just in the lives Darryn and Steve courageously saved during that fateful ordeal, but also in the enduring bond forged in the crucible of that day.
Who would have believed 2 years later that we would have an absolutely extraordinary follow up to the event as Laura Suggitt and Lewis Taylor were best friends with Jack Merritt who was the amazing young man who was killed in the Fishmongers Hall / London Bridge terror attack on the 29th November 2019.
It is now a privilege to hear from Laura and Lewis on what has happened since and how they have developed ‘The Merrittocracy’ in his memory. They write:
The devastating and tragic loss of Jack fundamentally reshaped those who knew him. As is often the case, the attack was a global news piece – however, it became apparent very quickly that this occasion sparked a unique reaction. People all over the world resonated with Jack and Saskia, not because of how they died but because of what they stood for in life.
Jack was working with men at the very fringe of society. Men that most of the world had given up on. He was holding out a hand and offering them a hopeful future. It was one of these men that ended Jack’s life. Laura and Lewis will speak of the incident, the loss and the journey. But most importantly, they will speak of growth, hope and the future.
Since that day Laura and Lewis have pieced themselves together bit by bit with lots of support and professional help. They have worked in the heart of Westminster (largely at the Ministry of Justice), at private consultancies and creative agencies. They have now made the move to start The Merrittocracy, a social justice agency and the first of its kind. Taking the best elements they have learned along the way, and most importantly, ensuring Jack’s legacy lives on through the work he was committing to in life.
Bios:
Laura:
Laura is one of the UK’s leading voices on public sector reform—known for her expertise in criminal justice and gender-based violence, and for making real progress on the problems most people would rather not touch. She led the UK government’s landmark End-to-End Rape Review, helped design Northern Ireland’s response to serious sexual offences, and has driven national education reforms and policy on everything from online harms to prison education.A Churchill Fellow in VAWG prevention and co-lead of Bang Up Books—a reading campaign she has scaled to distribute over 200,000 brand new books to UK prisons—Laura leads with bold vision, sharp strategy, and a huge heart. Out of office, you can find her playing sport, hunting down chocolate, or hanging with her cat, Jill.
Lewis
Lewis is a connector of people, ideas, and possibility. He’s worked across central government—mainly in the Ministry of Justice—on strategy, implementation, and international justice. Leading engagement with the International Criminal Court in The Hague on Ukraine war crimes.
He’s spent equal time in the creative agency world, bringing lived experience and bold thinking into unforgettable campaigns and events. Lew is an energiser at heart, proficient in keeping things light in heavy spaces. He believes we’ve prioritised the wrong things as a society—and that people can truly thrive when they’re doing work that uplifts those most in need. Off-duty, you’ll find him meticulously researching restaurants
