Mohamed Al Fayed abuse survivors to meet Starmer in push for accountability
Sexual abuse victims will meet the Prime Minister on Wednesday as part of a campaign for greater accountability over what they describe as “decades of institutional rape and sexual abuse” linked to Harrods.
Sir Keir Starmer will meet alleged victims of luxury department store former owner Mohamed Al Fayed in what survivor groups hope will be a “turning point” in their quest for justice.
More than 400 allegations of sexual harassment have been made against Al Fayed since 1977.
Last month, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched an investigation into five serving former Metropolitan Police officers for potential misconduct in their handling of allegations against the former owner of Harrods, who died in 2023 aged 94.
Lucy Duckworth, policy leader at the Survivors Trust, who will chair the meeting, said it should be a “turning point” for victims of sexual abuse and called on policymakers to address “wider systemic failures that allow abuse on this scale to occur and continue”.
He added: “Lasting change will depend on transparency, accountability and a commitment to strengthening inter-agency protections.”
The rape and sexual exploitation services provider organized the meeting alongside the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Mohamed Al Fayed and Harrods survivors.
The cross-party group of MPs was set up to amplify survivors’ voices in Parliament, review investigations and press for transparency and systemic change.
The Survivors Trust said the meeting with Sir Keir would mark the first time a Prime Minister has directly engaged with survivors from a “single body”, but stressed it should be “the beginning of a sustained engagement with the Government rather than an end point”.
The APPG is calling for a full understanding of what it calls the “systemic failures” surrounding Harrods and action to prevent further abuse.
Harrods set up a compensation scheme to offer compensation and counseling to those affected and praised the “courage of survivors to come forward”.
