A survivor of child sexual abuse has quit her role in the national grooming gangs inquiry, citing a “toxic, fearful environment” and a “high risk of people feeling silenced all over again”.
In a resignation letter on Monday, Fiona Goddard said the process so far had involved “secretive conduct” with instances of “condescending and controlling language” used towards survivors.
Ms Goddard also expressed concern about the candidates shortlisted to chair the inquiry, one of whom is reportedly a former police chief and the other a social worker.
“This is a disturbing conflict of interest and I fear the lack of trust in services from years of failings and corruption will have a negative impact in survivor engagement with this inquiry,” she said.
“Having a police officer or social worker leading the inquiry would once again be letting services mark their own homework, the shortlisting of these potential chairs shows the Government’s complete lack of understanding of the level of corruption and failings involved in this scandal.”
It comes amid mounting pressure on the Government to move forward with the probe, first announced by the Prime Minister in June, including by setting out terms of reference and appointing a chair.
Sir Keir Starmer faced Opposition criticism over the resignation on Monday, with Kemi Badenoch telling him to “grow a backbone” and “do everything possible to ensure criminal investigations run in parallel now, across the entire system”.
The Tory leader said: “This is deeply troubling. Many will now suspect Labour is sabotaging the grooming gangs inquiry and deliberately dragging it out beyond the next election.”
The Conservatives argued the probe should be led by a judge who is detached from the institutions they are investigating.
Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick said: “Almost all inquiries of national importance – Grenfell, Post Office, Infected Blood – have been led by senior members of the judiciary.
“Why is this not case for the rape gang scandal? Does the Government consider it less worthy?”
Home Office minister Jess Phillips told MPs last month the appointment process for a chair was in its “final stages” and a panel of survivors and victims would be involved in the selection.
“The chair must have credibility and experience to command the confidence of victims and survivors as well as the wider public. And meaningful engagement with victims and survivors is paramount,” she told the Commons in September.
“To support this, a dedicated panel of victims and survivors has been established which will contribute to that chair selection process.
“This is a critical milestone, and once an appointment is confirmed, the House will be updated at the earliest opportunity.”
But Ms Goddard said she had tried to persevere with her position on the victim and survivor liaison panel overseeing the inquiry “until after meeting with the potential chairs this week”, saying “we should never have been put in that position in the first place”.
“The dynamics of this inquiry, including potential chairs and progress, should have been conducted openly and honestly by the Government, and survivors should have had the choice to voice their opinions if they decided to,” she said.
Ms Goddard, who has spoken publicly of being abused by a gang in her home town of Bradford from the age of 14, said she had been led to believe that survivors would be consulted separately.
She cast doubt on how the panel itself had been set up, adding: “I have serious concerns around certain members and their affiliations with members of the Labour Government that presents a potential conflict of interest and incentives, pushing in opposition to the honest representations of survivors’ voices.”
Downing Street said the Government was working “flat out to get the right chair in place”, with survivors “absolutely at the heart of what we’re doing,” but declined to give “running commentary” on the process.
Asked about the resignation on Monday, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We’re grateful to everyone who shared their insights with us.
“I’m sure you’ll understand our concerns about speculation. We’re still going through this process, that’s why we’re not going to give a running commentary on it.
“But the abuse of children by grooming gangs, as we’ve said before, is one of the most horrific crimes imaginable.”
He added: “We’re working flat out to get the right chair in place to take this forward and victims and survivors are absolutely at the heart of what we’re doing.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The abuse of children by grooming gangs is one of the most horrific crimes imaginable.
“Any suggestion that this inquiry is being watered down is completely wrong – we are committed to delivering a robust, thorough inquiry that will get to the truth and provide the answers that survivors have so long campaigned for.”
