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| Another top lawyer quits child sexual abuse inquiry | Another top lawyer quits child sexual abuse inquiry |
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| The troubled inquiry into historical child sexual abuse is facing further questions from MPs about its future after another senior lawyer resigned and two more are threatening to do so. | |
| Aileen McColgan, who was leading the inquiry’s investigation into abuse in the Anglican and Catholic churches, quit over concerns about the inquiry’s leadership, according to BBC Newsnight. | Aileen McColgan, who was leading the inquiry’s investigation into abuse in the Anglican and Catholic churches, quit over concerns about the inquiry’s leadership, according to BBC Newsnight. |
| Two other barristers have told the inquiry of their desire to leave over similar concerns, the programme reported. An inquiry spokeswoman refused to comment on McColgan’s departure. | Two other barristers have told the inquiry of their desire to leave over similar concerns, the programme reported. An inquiry spokeswoman refused to comment on McColgan’s departure. |
| Yvette Cooper, the chair of the House of Commons home affairs select committee, called on the inquiry to be more transparent and said her committee would be seeking evidence from McColgan about why she quit. | Yvette Cooper, the chair of the House of Commons home affairs select committee, called on the inquiry to be more transparent and said her committee would be seeking evidence from McColgan about why she quit. |
| McColgan’s departure is the latest blow to the inquiry, which has been hit by a series of high-profile departures. The current chair, Prof Alexis Jay, became the fourth person to head the inquiry in its first two years after the previous incumbent judge, Dame Lowell Goddard, resigned amid criticisms of her leadership style. | McColgan’s departure is the latest blow to the inquiry, which has been hit by a series of high-profile departures. The current chair, Prof Alexis Jay, became the fourth person to head the inquiry in its first two years after the previous incumbent judge, Dame Lowell Goddard, resigned amid criticisms of her leadership style. |
| In September, the inquiry’s lead counsel, Ben Emmerson, resigned a day after he was suspended. Emmerson’s junior colleague, Elizabeth Prochaska, also stood down. | In September, the inquiry’s lead counsel, Ben Emmerson, resigned a day after he was suspended. Emmerson’s junior colleague, Elizabeth Prochaska, also stood down. |
| Cooper described the latest resignation as a “concern”. | Cooper described the latest resignation as a “concern”. |
| Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Wednesday, she said: “This is a really important inquiry into historic child abuse and it has had a very difficult two-year history so far. What we want is for it to get back on track. There are a lot of survivors depending on it to do a good job.” | Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Wednesday, she said: “This is a really important inquiry into historic child abuse and it has had a very difficult two-year history so far. What we want is for it to get back on track. There are a lot of survivors depending on it to do a good job.” |
| She added: “We have contacted the other lawyers who have resigned and we have asked them for written evidence and I hope we will be able to do so with Aileen McColgan as well.” | She added: “We have contacted the other lawyers who have resigned and we have asked them for written evidence and I hope we will be able to do so with Aileen McColgan as well.” |
| Jay has completed a review of the inquiry’s work but the findings have not be published. Cooper called on Jay to be more open about the inquiry’s problems. | Jay has completed a review of the inquiry’s work but the findings have not be published. Cooper called on Jay to be more open about the inquiry’s problems. |
| “If we can have some transparency about the things that have gone wrong in the past then that will help us be confident that it is all back on track now,” she said. | “If we can have some transparency about the things that have gone wrong in the past then that will help us be confident that it is all back on track now,” she said. |
| She added: “We are in a difficult interim position at the moment, because we know that there were a lot of problems under the previous chair. We don’t know what they were and she’s refused to give oral evidence to us. | She added: “We are in a difficult interim position at the moment, because we know that there were a lot of problems under the previous chair. We don’t know what they were and she’s refused to give oral evidence to us. |
| “We have a gap now before the new chair has had the chance to set out the results of her review into the inquiry. Prof Jay did an extremely good job on the inquiry she did into Rotherham. And it is important that she should be able to set out her conclusions about how the inquiry should go forward. | “We have a gap now before the new chair has had the chance to set out the results of her review into the inquiry. Prof Jay did an extremely good job on the inquiry she did into Rotherham. And it is important that she should be able to set out her conclusions about how the inquiry should go forward. |
| “We are caught between those two with a lot of questions unanswered. What is unclear is how much this has been about legacy problems and personality issues ... or whether there are ongoing problems for the future.” | “We are caught between those two with a lot of questions unanswered. What is unclear is how much this has been about legacy problems and personality issues ... or whether there are ongoing problems for the future.” |
| An inquiry spokeswoman said: “We have a large legal team comprising a number of junior counsel, senior counsel and solicitors. They come and go subject to their professional obligations and we are not commenting on specifics.” | An inquiry spokeswoman said: “We have a large legal team comprising a number of junior counsel, senior counsel and solicitors. They come and go subject to their professional obligations and we are not commenting on specifics.” |