This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38022074
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Abuse inquiry defended after victims' group quits | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Home Secretary Amber Rudd has defended the independent inquiry into historical child sex abuse after the largest group of victims pulled out of the process. | |
| The Shirley Oaks Survivors Association, for 600 victims who lived in children's homes in Lambeth, said it had no confidence in the inquiry's leadership. | The Shirley Oaks Survivors Association, for 600 victims who lived in children's homes in Lambeth, said it had no confidence in the inquiry's leadership. |
| Chuka Umunna MP said the inquiry chair, Prof Alexis Jay, should be replaced. | Chuka Umunna MP said the inquiry chair, Prof Alexis Jay, should be replaced. |
| But Ms Rudd said: "We owe it to victims and survivors to get behind the inquiry, and its chair." | |
| She said the inquiry had a "vital role to play in exposing the failure of public bodies and other major organisations to prevent child sexual abuse". | She said the inquiry had a "vital role to play in exposing the failure of public bodies and other major organisations to prevent child sexual abuse". |
| The inquiry said its work would continue with "confidence and clarity", and Prime Minister Theresa May this week said she had absolute confidence in the inquiry's leadership. | The inquiry said its work would continue with "confidence and clarity", and 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. | 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 that a large paedophile network infiltrated children's homes in the area, run by Lambeth Council, with the Shirley Oaks group due to have been a "core participant" in the process. | It will investigate the claim that a large paedophile network infiltrated children's homes in the area, run by Lambeth Council, with the Shirley Oaks group due to have been a "core participant" in the process. |
| 'Pandora's box' | 'Pandora's box' |
| Raymond Stevenson, who has previously spoken about being physically abused during his time at the Shirley Oaks home in the 1970s, said the group's members had voted "overwhelmingly" on Saturday to pull out of the inquiry. | Raymond Stevenson, who has previously spoken about being physically abused during his time at the Shirley Oaks home in the 1970s, said the group's members had voted "overwhelmingly" on Saturday to pull out of the inquiry. |
| Mr Stevenson told the BBC that the group "felt relieved not to be part of this mangled attempt to get belated justice for our members" and he called the inquiry an "unpalatable circus". | |
| "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 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. |
| 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. |
| The group had threatened to withdraw before, questioning the inquiry's independence. | The group had threatened to withdraw before, questioning the inquiry's independence. |
| In a statement, the group claimed the inquiry's fourth chair - former social worker Prof Jay - was planning nothing more than a "social work talk shop", which it said would achieve nothing, and described her as "an uninspiring leader". | In a statement, the group claimed the inquiry's fourth chair - former social worker Prof Jay - was planning nothing more than a "social work talk shop", which it said would achieve nothing, and described her as "an uninspiring leader". |
| Prof Jay led the independent inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham. | Prof Jay led the independent inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham. |
| The Shirley Oaks Survivors Association is planning to publish the results of its own investigation. | The Shirley Oaks Survivors Association 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. | 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. |
| Mr Umunna, the Streatham MP 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. | Mr Umunna, the Streatham MP 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. | 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. |
| "So for all those reasons I don't have confidence in this chair and I think we need a new one," he said. | "So for all those reasons I don't have confidence in this chair and I think we need a new one," he said. |
| 'Best chance' | 'Best chance' |
| But Peter Saunders, the founder of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood who sits on the inquiry's victims advisory panel, told Today that his charity heard from thousands of people every year, "so let's not be distracted by just one group". | But Peter Saunders, the founder of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood who sits on the inquiry's victims advisory panel, told Today that his charity heard from thousands of people every year, "so let's not be distracted by just one group". |
| "There is a great deal going on and if we really are going to turn things around and protect future generations of children... we need to learn the lessons. | "There is a great deal going on and if we really are going to turn things around and protect future generations of children... we need to learn the lessons. |
| "This inquiry, for all its challenges, is the best chance that we've all got and we need to support it, not keep having a go at it." | "This inquiry, for all its challenges, is the best chance that we've all got and we need to support it, not keep having a go at it." |
| Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme: "I want to the inquiry to succeed, but I have never seen a public inquiry so beset with problems. | Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme: "I want to the inquiry to succeed, but I have never seen a public inquiry so beset with problems. |
| "We have to win back the confidence of all survivors' groups... too many people suffered for this inquiry just to collapse in acrimony." | "We have to win back the confidence of all survivors' groups... too many people suffered for this inquiry just to collapse in acrimony." |
| The inquiry said: "We are sorry to hear that Shirley Oaks Survivors Association have decided to withdraw. | 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." | "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." |
| Resignations | Resignations |
| 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. |
| 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. | 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 it was announced the inquiry has also delayed hearings into the late Lord Janner. | This week it 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 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 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." |