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May urged to appoint UK’s most senior female judge to lead child abuse inquiry May urged to appoint UK’s most senior female judge to lead child abuse inquiry
(about 5 hours later)
The home secretary, Theresa May, has been urged to appoint Britain’s most senior female judge, Lady Hale, to chair a full statutory inquiry into child abuse with links to the Westminster establishment.The home secretary, Theresa May, has been urged to appoint Britain’s most senior female judge, Lady Hale, to chair a full statutory inquiry into child abuse with links to the Westminster establishment.
May has conceded that the child abuse panel that has already been set up does not have satisfactory powers and, with a decision expected soon about what form an inquiry will take, figures representing child abuse survivors are pressing for Hale, the deputy president of the supreme court, to take charge. May has conceded that the child abuse panel that has already been set up does not have satisfactory powers, and, with a decision expected soon about what form an inquiry will take, figures representing child abuse survivors are pressing for Hale, the deputy president of the supreme court, to take charge.
Anne Lawrence, a barrister who advises the survivors group Mandate Now, said she and others are backing Hale to be the new chair because she is a senior judiciary figure who appears to be untainted by links to figures who might come under scrutiny during the inquiry. Anne Lawrence, a barrister who advises the survivors group Mandate Now, said she and others are backing Hale to be the new chair because she is a senior figure in the judiciary who appears to be untainted by links to figures who might come under scrutiny during the inquiry.
“We’re talking about someone who has looked at power and has changed law, in her supreme court role, and has consistently been courageous in her judgments,” Lawrence said.“We’re talking about someone who has looked at power and has changed law, in her supreme court role, and has consistently been courageous in her judgments,” Lawrence said.
May originally announced in the summer that the child abuse inquiry would take the form of a panel, based on the body that investigated the Hillsborough disaster, rather than a full statutory inquiry because she believed that giving the inquiry statutory powers would lead to lawyers unduly prolonging its proceedings.May originally announced in the summer that the child abuse inquiry would take the form of a panel, based on the body that investigated the Hillsborough disaster, rather than a full statutory inquiry because she believed that giving the inquiry statutory powers would lead to lawyers unduly prolonging its proceedings.
But the first two women chosen by May to chair the panel – Lady Butler-Sloss and Fiona Woolf – have resigned, and demands for the inquiry to have stronger powers have intensified. But the first two women chosen by May to chair the panel – Lady Butler-Sloss and Fiona Woolf – resigned, and demands for the inquiry to have stronger powers have intensified.
Hale has been mentioned previously in contention with the vacant position – along with the senior barrister Michael Mansfield QC and appeals court judge Lady Justice Hallett – but has now been backed by those who have been consulted by May. Hale has been mentioned previously in connection with the vacant position – along with the senior barrister Michael Mansfield QC and appeals court judge Lady Justice Hallett – but has now been backed by those who have been consulted by May.
At the weekend it emerged that May had written to members of the panel saying that she was considering three options that would lead to the inquiry getting statutory powers. Two of them, the creation of a new inquiry, or a royal commission, would involve the panel being wound up. The third option would be for the home secretary to appoint a panel chair who would then request statutory powers, but she is not thought to favour this approach, and it is expected that the panel will be replaced in the new year.At the weekend it emerged that May had written to members of the panel saying that she was considering three options that would lead to the inquiry getting statutory powers. Two of them, the creation of a new inquiry, or a royal commission, would involve the panel being wound up. The third option would be for the home secretary to appoint a panel chair who would then request statutory powers, but she is not thought to favour this approach, and it is expected that the panel will be replaced in the new year.
Lawrence said most child abuse survivors would be happy if most of the current inquiry panel were reappointed to serve on the new inquiry, provided they were selected following a transparent process, not “just because they were someone’s mates”.Lawrence said most child abuse survivors would be happy if most of the current inquiry panel were reappointed to serve on the new inquiry, provided they were selected following a transparent process, not “just because they were someone’s mates”.
Richard Scorer, head of the abuse team at law firm Slater & Gordon, said he would welcome a statutory inquiry but cautioned against “throwing the baby out with the bathwater”. Richard Scorer, head of the abuse team at law firm Slater & Gordon, said he would welcome a statutory inquiry, but cautioned against throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
“We have on the current panel considerable expertise and it’s important we don’t lose that,” he said. “I think it’s essential we maintain that under any inquiry however it is set up.” Scorer, whose law firm represents more than 800 survivors, said the inquiry should also take care not to become overly “adversarial” if it is re-constituted as a statutory body. “We have on the current panel considerable expertise and it’s important we don’t lose that,” he said. “I think it’s essential we maintain that under any inquiry, however it is set up.” Scorer, whose law firm represents more than 800 survivors, said the inquiry should also take care not to become overly adversarial if it is re-constituted as a statutory body.
“What we want to make sure is that we don’t have an inquiry that’s dominated by lawyers and, if we’re going to turn this into a court of law, that we don’t create an adversarial environment that’s hostile to the complainants and that they are supported through it,” he said.“What we want to make sure is that we don’t have an inquiry that’s dominated by lawyers and, if we’re going to turn this into a court of law, that we don’t create an adversarial environment that’s hostile to the complainants and that they are supported through it,” he said.
Simon Danczuk, the Labour MP who has played a leading role in campaigning for an inquiry, said the Home Office was making so many mistakes that he was starting to suspect it wanted to stop the inquiry getting to the truth.Simon Danczuk, the Labour MP who has played a leading role in campaigning for an inquiry, said the Home Office was making so many mistakes that he was starting to suspect it wanted to stop the inquiry getting to the truth.