Grooming gangs survivor who quit inquiry panel claims Starmer WANTS the investigation to fail
A survivor of the grooming gang who abandoned the investigation into child sexual abuse has accused Sir Keir Starmer of sabotaging the inquiry to protect Labor councils.
Elizabeth Harper, who was abused in Rotherham when she was 14, said the Prime Minister wanted the investigation to fail because it would harm her party.
The 38-year-old actor left the panel last Tuesday after a chaotic meeting with potential chairmen.
She said the survivors were only allowed to join the Zoom call on a first-come, first-served basis, and that they were told only after the call had begun that candidate Annie Hudson had withdrawn.
A total of five survivors called for the resignation of Conservation Minister Jess Phillips over how the investigation was handled.
Ms. Harper promised not to return unless Ms. Phillips resigned. He also claimed Sir Keir was behind efforts to ‘water down’ the investigation and create a ‘toxic environment’ for survivors. The campaigner said last night: ‘I believe he has a huge influence on what is done and what is not done. I believe he is not on our side. I don’t think he wants to face what reality is.
‘I don’t think councils are ready for the response that the majority are Labor supporters who covered up the abuse of thousands of children. These councils were complicit. I think he knows this will hurt the party.
‘What he doesn’t realize is that he’s already hurt his party by not doing the right thing.’
Ms Harper also suggested Sir Keir and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood were behind efforts to shift the scope of the inquiry away from just grooming gangs. However, the Government says the process is being managed by the NWG Assistance Network, not the Home Office.
Ms Phillips told MPs last week that ‘allegations of deliberate delay, indifference or expansion or dilution of the scope of the investigation are false’.
Bradford gang abuse victim Fiona Goddard resigned from a panel attached to the national inquiry into the scandal, accusing the Home Office of watering down the incident
Grooming gang survivor who abandoned inquiry into child sexual abuse accuses Sir Keir Starmer of sabotaging inquiry
This prompted survivor Fiona Goddard, who also left the panel, to rebut the minister’s claim by revealing an email from the NWG asking: ‘Should the investigation be clearly focused on ‘grooming gangs’ or ‘group-based CSEA’? [child sexual exploitation and abuse]’or should we take a broader approach?’
Ms Phillips also said she would meet the survivors but Ms Harper was told she could only stay with her for half an hour – which she viewed as ‘just a kick in the pants’. He was later invited to attend a meeting scheduled for the same time on Tuesday between survivors and candidates to chair the investigation.
The campaigner thought it was ‘suspicious and a bit odd’.
Survivors were told they could not attend the meeting due to ‘time and technical constraints’. Instead, they were told that places would be given on a first-come, first-served basis.
A Government spokesman said: ‘This Government is committed to carrying out a full, legal, national investigation to uncover the truth. ‘The victims of these heinous crimes deserve at least that.’
