UNITED KINGDOM
Daily Mail
Victims snub Westminster child sex probe: 23 individuals send letters to Theresa May claiming inquiry is ‘not fit for purpose’
By IAN DRURY FOR THE DAILY MAIL
Victims of alleged historical child abuse have told Theresa May they are withdrawing support from the Government’s paedophile inquiry.
A total of 23 individuals sent the Home Secretary a letter claiming the inquiry was ‘not fit for purpose’.
It came ahead of a crunch meeting today between Mrs May and some of the largest groups for child sex abuse victims which could lead to the inquiry being undermined.
Peter Saunders, chief executive of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, said his organisation had not signed the letter – but insisted it echoed the views of the other abuse survivors.
He said Mrs May must pledge to give the beleaguered inquiry extra powers, including granting it statutory powers to compel witnesses to give evidence and to properly consult victims’ groups.
‘At the end of the meeting, if we feel the Home Secretary is not serious about getting the inquiry right, then we will probably walk away, but until then it is too early to say. I believe she is committed to it; now she must show that commitment.’
‘I am not hopeful that we will get what we want.’
The letter to Mrs May said the 23 signatories would not take up an offer to attend the meeting.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.