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Victims' group withdraws from historical child sex abuse inquiry Victims' group withdraws from historical child sex abuse inquiry
(about 2 hours later)
The largest victims' group in the independent inquiry into historical child sex abuse has quit the process, calling it an "unpalatable circus". The largest victims' group in the independent inquiry into historical child sex abuse has left the process, calling it an "unpalatable circus".
The BBC has been told the Shirley Oaks Survivors Association, which represents 600 victims who lived in children's homes run by Lambeth Council, has lost confidence in the inquiry's leadership.The BBC has been told the Shirley Oaks Survivors Association, which represents 600 victims who lived in children's homes run by Lambeth Council, has lost confidence in the inquiry's leadership.
It had threatened to withdraw before - questioning the inquiry's independence.It had threatened to withdraw before - questioning the inquiry's independence.
PM Theresa May this week said she had absolute confidence in its leadership. But Home Secretary Amber Rudd said the inquiry had a "vital role to play".
The treatment of children in care in Lambeth, south London, during the second half of the 20th Century is one of 13 areas the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse is due to look at. "We must learn the lessons of the past and we owe it to victims and survivors to get behind the inquiry, and its chair Alexis Jay," she said.
The claim a large paedophile network infiltrated children's homes in the area is one of the first the inquiry will investigate, with the Shirley Oaks group due to have been a "core participant" in the process. The inquiry said its work would continue with "confidence and clarity".
Prime Minister Theresa May this week said she had absolute confidence in the inquiry's leadership.
The treatment of children in care in Lambeth, south London, during the second half of the last century is one of 13 areas the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse is due to look at.
It will investigate the claim a large paedophile network infiltrated children's homes in the area, with the Shirley Oaks group due to have been a "core participant" in the process.
'Pandora's box''Pandora's box'
However, Raymond Stevenson, from the group, said its members had voted "overwhelmingly" on Saturday to pull out of the inquiry.However, Raymond Stevenson, from the group, said its members had voted "overwhelmingly" on Saturday to pull out of the inquiry.
"It should have come with a tinge of regret but actually everyone felt relieved not to be part of this mangled attempt to get belated justice for our members," he told the BBC."It should have come with a tinge of regret but actually everyone felt relieved not to be part of this mangled attempt to get belated justice for our members," he told the BBC.
"The inquiry has just lurched from disaster to disaster and we do not believe Alexis Jay, the chair, is the right person to wrench open the Pandora's box of historical lies and cover-ups that have happened over the decades.""The inquiry has just lurched from disaster to disaster and we do not believe Alexis Jay, the chair, is the right person to wrench open the Pandora's box of historical lies and cover-ups that have happened over the decades."
He said the inquiry was not a "genuine attempt" to look at the truth.He said the inquiry was not a "genuine attempt" to look at the truth.
"When you look at the debacle that has taken place with resignations, with heads leaving, claims of racial abuse, sexual abuse, this is not an environment we would put our members through," he said."When you look at the debacle that has taken place with resignations, with heads leaving, claims of racial abuse, sexual abuse, this is not an environment we would put our members through," he said.
In a strongly-worded statement the group said the inquiry had stumbled from crisis to crisis, resulting in what it described as a "botch job" in need of a drastic overhaul. In a strongly-worded statement, the group said a succession of crises had resulted in the inquiry becoming a "botch job" in need of a drastic overhaul.
It claimed the inquiry's fourth chair - former social worker Prof Alexis Jay - was planning nothing more than a social work talk shop, which it said would achieve nothing. It claimed the inquiry's fourth chair - former social worker Prof Alexis Jay - was planning nothing more than a "social work talk shop", which it said would achieve nothing.
The group described Prof Jay as "an uninspiring leader who cannot reach out beyond her daisy chain circle of middle management cronies".
It said: "The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse could have provided an opportunity for contemplation and learning across the UK as a whole.
"We are all aware that mistakes were made in the past but without learning, these mistakes will continue to be made in the future.
"The lives and future of many current and future care children could have been improved but instead, this opportunity lost will leave a pigment of shame on the government's hands."
The Shirley Oaks Survivors Association is planning to publish the results of its own investigation.
It says the Home Office, which sponsors the inquiry and provided some of its staff, had a role in covering up abuse in the past.
BBC home affairs correspondent Tom Symonds said maintaining the confidence of abuse victims is "vital" for the inquiry, "for which this announcement will be a further blow".
Prof Jay led the independent inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.Prof Jay led the independent inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.
But the Shirley Oaks Survivors Association described her as "an uninspiring leader who cannot reach out beyond her daisy chain circle of middle management cronies".
The group is planning to publish the results of its own investigation.
It claims that the Home Office, which sponsors the inquiry and provided some of its staff, had a role in covering up abuse in the past.
Labour MP for Streatham Chuka Umunna, who supports the Shirley Oaks campaign, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he was concerned whether Prof Jay would be able to "bring the heft and forensic capacity of a judge" to the inquiry.
He also said there was concern about her social work background because "for many of the survivors... a lot the perpetrators came from that profession", and further concern about the "severe dysfunction" in the legal team.
"The result of all of this is my constituents don't have confidence in this process," he said.
BBC home affairs correspondent Tom Symonds said maintaining the confidence of abuse victims was "vital" for the inquiry, "for which this announcement will be a further blow".
ResignationsResignations
The inquiry said: "We are sorry to hear that Shirley Oaks Survivors Association have decided to withdraw.
"Our investigation will continue and will examine the scale and nature of the abuse that may have taken place under the care of Lambeth Council with pace, confidence and clarity."
The inquiry has been beset by difficulties since it was set up in July 2014 to investigate allegations made against local authorities, religious organisations, the armed forces and public and private institutions in England and Wales, as well as people in the public eye.The inquiry has been beset by difficulties since it was set up in July 2014 to investigate allegations made against local authorities, religious organisations, the armed forces and public and private institutions in England and Wales, as well as people in the public eye.
Three chairwomen - former president of the High Court Family Division Baroness Butler-Sloss, her replacement, leading lawyer Dame Fiona Woolf, and Justice Goddard, a New Zealand high court judge - have already stood down.Three chairwomen - former president of the High Court Family Division Baroness Butler-Sloss, her replacement, leading lawyer Dame Fiona Woolf, and Justice Goddard, a New Zealand high court judge - have already stood down.
A number of senior lawyers on the inquiry have also quit - the most recent of which was Aileen McColgan, who resigned on Wednesday amid concerns about the inquiry's leadership.A number of senior lawyers on the inquiry have also quit - the most recent of which was Aileen McColgan, who resigned on Wednesday amid concerns about the inquiry's leadership.
Last month, Ben Emmerson QC, the most senior lawyer on the inquiry, had resigned, while it emerged Elizabeth Prochaska - the inquiry's second most senior lawyer - had stepped down on 15 September. Ben Emmerson QC, the most senior lawyer on the inquiry, resigned last month, and Elizabeth Prochaska - the inquiry's second most senior lawyer - had stepped down on 15 September.
This week is was announced the inquiry has also delayed hearings into the late Lord Janner.This week is was announced the inquiry has also delayed hearings into the late Lord Janner.
Labour has said the whole abuse inquiry is now facing a "crisis of credibility".Labour has said the whole abuse inquiry is now facing a "crisis of credibility".
However, addressing concerns about the inquiry at this week's Prime Minister's Questions, Theresa May said: "Having seen the work that Prof Alexis Jay has done in the Rotherham inquiry that she undertook I have absolute confidence in her ability to undertake this inquiry."However, addressing concerns about the inquiry at this week's Prime Minister's Questions, Theresa May said: "Having seen the work that Prof Alexis Jay has done in the Rotherham inquiry that she undertook I have absolute confidence in her ability to undertake this inquiry."
She said it was the victims and survivors "that we must always keep at the forefront of our minds". She added that it was the victims and survivors "that we must always keep at the forefront of our minds".