KEY EVENTS LEADING TO RESIGNATION

Daily Mail
July 14, 2014

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-2691518/KEY-EVENTS-LEADING-TO-RESIGNATION.html

The resignation of Baroness Butler-Sloss as the chair of an inquiry into allegations of historic child sex abuse within the establishment comes after days of pressure on the Home Office over her appointment.

These were the main events:

Monday, July 7:

Home Secretary Theresa May announces that she will establish an independent inquiry under an expert panel to examine the handling of allegations of paedophilia by state institutions as well as bodies such as the BBC, churches and political parties.

It will be chaired by "an appropriately senior and experienced figure", she tells the House of Commons.

Tuesday, July 8:

Baroness Butler-Sloss is named as the chair.

Prime Minister David Cameron's official spokesman tells reporters: "It is the very wide respect that her professional expertise as well as her personal integrity commands that makes her a very strong appointment for this role. It is the width and breadth of her experience that counts."

Eyebrows are immediately raised by the choice however.

Home Affairs Select Committee chairman Keith Vaz questions the choice of a member of the House of Lords "no matter how distinguished" to investigate the establishment - pointing out that her brother was Lord Chancellor during the era being probed.

Wednesday, July 9:

Calls for the appointment to be abandoned intensify over reports that her brother, Sir Michael - later Lord - Havers, tried to prevent ex-MP Geoffrey Dickens airing claims about a diplomat in Parliament in the 1980s.

Baroness Butler-Sloss insists she knew "absolutely nothing about it" and adds: "If people think I am not suitable, then that's up to them."

The Home Office says is stands "unreservedly" by its choice, saying the former judge's integrity is "beyond reproach".

But Labour MP Simon Danczuk, whose questions helped put the issue centre stage, says most people will find her establishment links "too close for comfort" and calls for a rethink.

He is joined by Conservative Sarah Wollaston, who chairs the Commons Health Select Committee, who declares it "hard to see why Baroness Butler-Sloss would want to accept a role so many regard as conflicted at the outset".

Alison Millar, head of the abuse team at law firm Leigh Day which represents alleged victims of abuse at institutions, says there must be "no shadows of doubt cast by links to allegations of an establishment cover-up".

Downing Street says Mr Cameron - who tells MPs in the Commons that no stone will be left unturned by the inquiry - continues to back the appointment.

"She commands the very highest respect for her professional expertise and integrity. His view is that she does command widespread respect and confidence, and rightly so," his spokesman tells reporters.

Friday, July 11

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg rows in behind Baroness Butler-Sloss.

He tells a caller to his LBC phone-in that complaints about the appointment were "really unfair on her".

"I think that the idea that because she had a brother in politics at that stage disqualifies her from doing this work, I don't accept that and I think it's right that she has said she is going to carry on doing the job," he says.

Saturday, July 12

Claims are published by The Times that Baroness Butler-Sloss refused to go public about a bishop implicated in a scandal.

She is reported to have told a victim of alleged abuse she did not want to include their claims in a review of how the Church of England dealt with two paedophile priests because she "cared about the Church" and "the press would love a bishop".

"I have never put the reputation of any institution, including the Church of England, above the pursuit of justice for victims," she insists.

The Home Office once again declares its "unreserved" approval of her taking a role for which she is "perfect".

"Her work leading the Cleveland child abuse inquiry and as president of the High Court's Family Division make her the perfect person to lead this important piece of work," a spokesman says.

Sunday, July 13

Home Office minister James Brokenshire says the peer's integrity "shines through" as he defends the appointment.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper repeatedly dodges questions over whether the Opposition backs the appointment.

"She is an extremely experienced person who will be very good to do this job but she also needs the right people around her, she needs the Home Office to take action to make sure they address all of these concerns," she says.

"If they can't they will need to make changes and rethink the whole thing."

Monday, July 14

Labour police commissioner Vera Baird - a former solicitor general - joins calls for a rethink, calling the appointment "an error" by the Home Secretary.

"I don't know if she, when agreeing to take it on, knew the implications for herself and for her family. She is a very dutiful person and would feel she should take it on if she was asked to do so," she says.

"The error is the Home Secretary's and it needs correcting."

Within hours, Downing Street announces Baroness Butler-Sloss is stepping aside by her own choice.

In a statement, she says she was "honoured" to have been asked but acknowledges that her family links would "cause difficulties" for the process.

Mrs May says she is "deeply saddened" but has embarked on the search for a replacement.

Mr Vaz says the whole inquiry process is becoming "shambolic".