UNITED KINGDOM
Telegraph
By Steven Swinford, Senior Political Correspondent 13 Jul 2014
The former judge leading an investigation into an establishment cover-up of child abuse could be joined by a co-chairman after criticism of her links to the establishment.
Theresa May, the Home Secretary, appointed Baroness Butler-Sloss to lead the investigation despite the fact that her late brother, Sir Michael Havers, was Attorney General at the time of the alleged abuses in the 1980s.
Sir Michael, father of the actor Nigel Havers, reportedly tried to stop Tory MP Geoffrey Dickens from using parliamentary privilege to name diplomat Sir Peter Hayman as a paedophile. He was accused of a “whitewash” after failing to criticise Sir Peter.
Baroness Butler-Sloss, 80, has said that she “knew absolutely nothing” about her brother’s role in the controversy and both she and Downing Street have rejected suggestions she should step down.
However James Brokenshire, a Home Office minister, yesterday suggested said that the Home Office is “working on” the idea of appointing a co-chairman.
Asked about the idea, he said: “Well I think it’s this precise detail that we are working on at this stage because it is important that we do draw on the right experts.
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