Fiona Woolf Resigns As Head of Inquiry into Historic Child Sex Abuse after Pressure to Quit

London Evening Standard
October 31, 2014

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/fiona-woolf-resigns-as-head-of-inquiry-into-historic-child-sex-abuse-9831829.html

Resignation: Fiona Woolf (Picture: Getty)

Fiona Woolf tonight announced she had resigned as the head of the inquiry into historic child sex abuse after facing unprecedented pressure to quit.

Representatives of child abuse victims had urged her to stand down over after fresh revelations emerged about her links to former Home Secretary Lord Brittan.

They also criticised her lack of expertise on the subject of child abuse.

In a statement tonight, she said: "I did not think it was going to be possible for me to chair [the inquiry] without everybody's support."

She told the BBC that it has been clear to her for some time that she did not have the confidence of the victims and it was time for her to "get out of the way".

She said: "I was determined that the inquiry got to the bottom of the issues and if I don't command their confidence to run the panel fairly and impartially then I need to get out of the way.

"It has been brewing for some time. Ever since the issue first arose I have been worrying about the negative perceptions and there has been a lot of negative comment and innuendo and that has got in the way as well."

The calls for her resignation came just hours before representatives of child abuse victims were due to meet inquiry officials for the first time and appeared to leave Mrs Woolf, a City lawyer, in an increasingly untenable position at its helm.

Pete Saunders, chief executive of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, said: “I’ve yet to meet anybody from the survivor organisations or individual survivors who have any faith in Fiona Woolf’s chairship. Her link with Leon Brittan is unquestioned and for that reason alone she should stand down.”

Home Secretary Theresa May said she had accepted Mrs Woolf's resignation "with regret".

She said: "I believe she would have carried out her duties with integrity, impartiality and to the highest standard."

Mrs May - who is to make a Commons statement on Monday - said the inquiry panel would continue its work while a new chairman was appointed.

She said: "I decided to set up this inquiry because it's imperative that we establish the extent to which institutions in this country have taken seriously their duty of care towards children. Recent reports from Rotherham and Greater Manchester demonstrate the importance of this work.

"As with Hillsborough, the best way to do this is through an independent panel inquiry. I believe we have a panel which brings a wide range of experience and expertise and one that survivors can have confidence in."