Abuse inquiry: Fiona Woolf 'unsuitable' as chair say victim groups

Woolf faces accusations she played down her links with Lord Brittan

Critics of Fiona Woolf say she should step down amid accusations of an establishment cover-up (Getty Images)

Victim groups have come to the “unanimous” decision that Fiona Woolf should be replaced as the head of an inquiry into historical child sex abuse.

Pressure has mounted on Woolf, the Lord Mayor of London, over her connections with Lord Brittan – the former home secretary who faces scrutiny over his role in an alleged establishment cover-up of abuse within Government – with campaigners arguing she is “unsuitable” to lead the investigation.

MPs have summoned Mrs Woolf, who did not attend lengthy talks in central London between victims' groups and the expert inquiry panel, to return to the Commons next week for a fresh grilling over her suitability.

But Downing Street said today that Prime Minister David Cameron “is absolutely clear that he thinks she can do this job with integrity and impartiality”.

Alison Millar who represents survivors of child abuse as the head of the abuse team at law firm Leigh Day, said: “Representatives of survivors were unanimous that Fiona Woolf is unsuitable to lead this inquiry.

Representatives also called for a full statutory inquiry with powers to seize documents and compel witnesses to give evidence.

"The unanimous view from the representatives of all the groups present today is that there needs to be a statutory inquiry with full compulsory powers to seize documents and compel witnesses to give evidence; concern was raised that if the inquiry was not headed by a high court judge then it would not be practically possible to take criminal proceedings for contempt if truthful evidence was withheld," said Millar.

“The constitution of the current panel, it was felt, needs to be substantially revisited and enhanced so that it is more representative of the situations in which abuse occurred and engages the diverse range of people who have been abused.”

The statement comes after documents published last night showed that a letter from Woolf regarding her links with Lord Brittan and his wife was redrafted seven times, with guidance from Home Office officials, before being sent to Home Secretary Theresa May.

Representatives of child abuse victims arrive at a meeting in London (Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)

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Keith Vaz, the head of a committee who questioned Woolf last week, said last night: “It is extraordinary that Mrs Woolf did not even write the first draft of her letter, which was supposed to detail her own personal experiences. The letter then underwent seven drafts with a multiplicity of editors. The final version gave a sense of greater detachment between Lord and Lady Brittan and Mrs Woolf than her previous attempts."

Adding his voice to the debate, former Labour Home Secretary David Blunkett told BBC Radio 4’s World at One that he was “very sympathetic” to Woolf staying but said the letters have changed his mind.

“I have never come across a situation where somebody being appointed to a critical independent panel of this sort has had their letters vetted, altered or suggestions made. I'm not sure whether Fiona Woolf asked for advice in helping that draft or whether it was, if you like, offered to her.

“But either way, I think it has put a very different complexion on the situation and a very substantial cloud over whether she can do the job,” he added.

Asked if she should not continue in the job, he replied: "I'm verging on believing that she is now in the kind of very difficult position that we saw before where somebody simply feels that they themselves cannot continue to do it."

On the same programme, Sue Minto, the head of children’s charity Child Line, refused to give her backing to Woolf, and said she thought the most important thing is to ensure the chair of the inquiry has a robust team to “make sure this is full and thorough”.

Additional reporting by PA