UNITED KINGDOM
Mail on Sunday
Home Office’s chaotic approach to abuse inquiry marks an early start to the pantomime season… probably Snow White and the Seven Drafts
By Keith Vaz For The Mail On Sunday
Fiona Woolf’s resignation on Friday was more a reflection on the chaotic appointment process than her own integrity or judgement.
The Home Office failed miserably to perform the basic tasks of due diligence; to check carefully and check again the history of her knowledge of, and association with, key individuals whose names have been associated with the inquiry.
It was history repeating itself, not years, but weeks after the resignation of Lady Butler-Sloss.
Many factors in Mrs Woolf’s suitability for the post could have been ascertained earlier. Her role as Lord Mayor of London meant she could not start work until mid-November; her knowledge of child abuse issues is negligible; she had also not met the Home Secretary until the day she appeared before the Home Affairs Select Committee; and she never met the inquiry panel, the very people she was to lead.
To be fair to Mrs Woolf, she admitted all of these matters when she gave evidence to the Committee.
If that was not enough, the final blow came with the release of seven drafts of her letter to the Home Secretary which had been co-written by Theresa May’s own staff, and finally, the declaration of ‘no confidence’ from victims.
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