Dame Justice Lowell Goddard got a glowing endorsement from Keith Vaz, the Labour chair of the home affairs committee, last week after she appeared before his committee in a pre appointment scrutiny hearing.
Although Theresa May, the home secretary, made sure the committee could only endorse not approve the appointment, MPs this time decided that the best decision was to end the controversy which dogged the past two chairs of the child sex abuse inquiry who both had to quit.
As Keith Vaz said: “We were impressed by the outstanding credentials of Justice Goddard, and the open and transparent way in which she gave evidence to the Committee. We believe she has the necessary skills and dedication to carry out this complex task effectively.”…
“We are confident that Justice Goddard will establish full independence from the Home Office and that she will shape and lead the inquiry in the manner she decides, but with proper consideration for the survivors. This is an important moment for the Inquiry, first established 221 days ago, and is an opportunity to renew the process after two false starts. We wish her well.”
The actual
report by MPs was less favourable that Mr Vaz’s glowing testament and raised a number of issues that should be addressed.
For a start it pointed out that the decision not to appoint any survivor to the committee meant that the promised advisory survivors committee must be beefed up.
As it said : ” We can see the logic of Justice Goddard’s comment that survivors did not need to be represented on the Panel, but only provided that a parallel Survivors’ Forum is established on a formal basis, with strong links to the Inquiry Panel. Its remit, status and relationship with the Panel should be clear from the outset and it should be properly funded to provide the necessary support to its members.”
To my mind this means proper resources and also the same due diligence applied to new members of the panel to ensure those appointed to the advisory panel are suitable for a difficult job.
Second it raised the question of Home Office dominance of both the secretariat and the running of the panel and rightly insisted that more outsiders should be on the secretariat and the chair should be shown to be totally independent in panel member appointments.
It also said that to provide continuity some existing members of the dissolved panel should serve on the inquiry and that perhaps it should consult more widely – citing the success of Hillsborough and Leveson in dealing with victims, which means Dame Justice Goddard should talk to both Lord Leveson and the Bishop of Liverpool about how they handled their inquiries. It is also right that its remit does include Kincora – which was a national not as purely Northern Ireland scandal – and makes sure there is proper liaison between the Scottish and English/Welsh inquiry investigations. It has been pointed out to me by a reader that the committee is silent on Jersey – where I am suspicious there has also been a big cover up of child sexual abuse.
Frankly this inquiry has got to show it is really independent and not a Home Office creature before people can really trust it – after so many false starts.
The inquiry will also sit in a febrile atmosphere with more damning disclosures about what happened in Britain in the 1980s. I know from the work I and my colleagues are doing on Exaro that we only have just begun to investigate the scale of the scandal and there is much more to come. And it probably going to take more than three years to unravel it.
Westminster Confidential 
Reblogged this on L8in.
LikeLike
And Goddard was part of some cover up stuff in New Zealand which makes her ideal for the part.
LikeLike
Oh and endorsement from Vaz is meaningless especially with his track record Richmond Islington And Leicester
All places on the HCSA map of crimes
LikeLike
I agree. Leicester Resident here and previously trapped in the Vaz area. Amongst other things that have happened in his constituency…. Grade 2 listed building “burns down” just after the land is sold to Tesco (deemed uneconomical to repair), Outer ring road works promised not to start until further consultations with residents take place, road is built 6 months later and 17 years on there has been no word from Vaz on the road. The renaming of a health centre to his mums name AFTER it had already had been decided to not be renamed to that. But Vaz protested and appealed and got his way with “postal” votes on the issue.
Passport scandal, suspension from parliament…. the list just keeps going. Did I mention channel 4 dispatches from the 90s? That’s worth digging out for some quality Vazisms. Oh and expenses scandal (no prosecution). I know I’m forgetting lots like the housing estate stuff he said (that is unbelievable until you see that dispatches program).
So yeah, an endorsement from Vaz is like having cameron sort your finances.
LikeLike
valerie vaz turned her back knowing there are children been mistreated in the walsall foster system
LikeLike
AND Hinckley…
LikeLike
well my point to keith vaz is this why in gods name is he getting away with all what he is doing wrong and sister too
LikeLike
Another whitewash then
LikeLike
@Jeffery you got that right. isn’t that what the HCSA enquiry is about? Survivors? Without them it’s just a meeting to discuss nothing And get paid money for it all
Oh wait.. Business as usual
LikeLike
Reblogged this on sdbast.
LikeLike
Was there any reason for your failure to mention the Committee’s omission of he vital issue of Jersey from their report?
LikeLike
Owen. None at all. thanks for pointing this out.I have added this to the blog. david
LikeLike
Thanks!
LikeLike
⌂ Home
👤 meggie
⚙ Help
Press ? for keyboard shortcuts.
New Zealand dame Justice Lowell Goddard pic credit: http://www.teara.govt.nz/
[No Subject] (2)
me
To
i.a.mcfadyen@btinternet.com
Today at 10:47 AM
TO THE GOVERMENT AND PROFFESSIONALS IN GOVERMENT
February 15, 2015Uncategorized Edit
my name is clare wakeman
and i would like to say a few things
when i was growing up i had faith and trust in the goverment but as time as gone by my faith and trust has gone
the reasons been
1]THE FAILLINGS AND LET DOWN ON INNOCENT FAMILLIES
2]PROFFESSIONALS WHO DESTROY INNOCENCE LIVES
3]THE COVER UPS BEHIND THE HISTORICAL ABUSE
4]THE CHILD ABUSE THAT IS CONTINIOUS KNOW IN THE SYSTEMS AND OUT OF THE SYSTEMS WHICH IS BEEN LET LIE
5]THE ADOPTING OF CHILDREN ILLEGALLY
6]THE DISTRUCTION OF THE SYSTEMS [MEANING]THE LIES AND COVER UPS ON CASES AND THE CHILDRENS LIVES THAT ARE BEEN LOST THROUGH ALL THESE ISSUESS
7]INNOCENT FAMILLIES IN 2012 WAS DESTROYED BY PROFFESSIONALS IN THE SYSTEMS BECAUSE OF THERE FAILLINGS
8]THERE COVER UPS
9]THERE NOT LOOKING BEHIND THE DOORS OF THE SYSTEMS ABUSE /MISTREATMENT/AND THE OUT OF THE SYSTEMS ABUSE ON INNOCENT CHILDREN
10]PROFFESSIONALS HAVE FORGOTTEN THEY ARE PUBLIC SERVANTS [NOT GODS]
11]HOW MANY PARENTS HAVE COMMITTED SUICIDE BECAUSE THEY ARE SCARED OF THE SYSTEMS COMING TO DESTROY THERE FAMILLIES
12]AND THE SAD PART ABOUT ALL THIS IS THAT PARENTS TAKE THERE CHILDREN WITH THEM WHEN THEY COMMITT SUICIDE THIS SHOULD NOT BE
13]ALOT OF FAMILLIES ARE GIVEN false hope
concerns that parents bring up are not taken seriously
theres no communication between the systems and some parents
the reason why by parents is beacuse they are scared to come forward and ask for help of the systems incase they deSTROY there famillies
14]THERE ARE SO MANY ISSUESS WERE THE SYSTEMS AND PROFFESSIONALS RUNNING THE COUNCILS ARE
IF A COUNCIL DOES WRONG THEY PREFARE TO COVER UP ALL THE WRONGS BUT IS IT NOT BETTER TO ACCEPT THE WRONG DOINGS AND FAILLINGS THEN PUT THEM RIGHT THE RIGHT WAY
15]HOW MANY CHILDRENS DEATHS HAVE BEEN COVERED UP FROM HISTORICAL ABUSE AND ABUSE GOING ON KNOW RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSES
16]THE WAY THE GOVERMENT SHOULD BE RUN IS EASY AND THATS TOO GET RID OF ALL THE BAD APPLES WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN COVERING UP ABUSE
COVERING UP FOR PROFFESSIONALS IN GOVERMENT WHO HAVE HIDDEN ABUSE WHICH THEY KNOW THERE COLLEGUES HAVE DONE BECAUSE KNOWING ABOUT ABUSE AND NOT REPORTING IT TO ME IS AS BAD AS THE ABUSER
17]ALL I HAVE TO SAY TO THE GOVERMENT [PROFFESSIONALS IN GOVERMENT IS THIS ]
I KNOW SOMETIMES ITS HARD TO KEEP TRACK OF EVERYTHING WHAT IS GOING ON BUT WHEN SERIES ISSUESS LIKE CHILD ABUSE
RAPE
DOMESTIC VILOLENCE
AND MORE COMES TO YOUR ATTENTION IS IT NOT BETTER TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUESS THERE AND THEN THAN CHILD ABUSE TURN IN TO HISTORUCAL ABUSE
I AM A VICTIM OF ABUSE FROM THE SYSTEMS AND DOMESTIC ABUSE FROM MY FANILY WHICH I THINK TO SUFFER AND FEEL ALONE AND SCARED AND NOT KNOWING WEATHER YOU SHOULD BE SILENT OR NOT IS A BAD WAY TO HAVE TO HIDE ALL WHAT IS GOING ON THIS IS WHY HUMAN BEINGS WHO HAVE SUFFERED FROM ABUSE HAVE NOT COME OUT UNTILL KNOW BECAUSE
OF NOT BEEN BELIEVED AND MORE BUT THE EVEIDENCE IS ALL COMING OUT AND AS ALWAYS BEEN THERE BUT IT TAKES SOME BODY WHO HAS BEEN ABUSED TO COME THROUGH AND SAY LOOK THIS AS GOT TO STOP AND ITS GOT TO STOP FOR THE GENERATIONS TO COME IN TO THE WORLD
AND MPS AND PROFFESSIONALS WHO HAVE COVERED ABUSE UP AND HISTORICAL ABUSE TOO SHOULD NOT BE IN GOVERMENT BECAUSE IF THEY CAN COVER UP SOMETHING SO SERIES AS CHILD ABUSE DOES IT NOT MAKE U ALL THINK WHAT ELSE THEY HAVE COVERED UP TOO
THE REASON YOU THE GOVERMENT ARE GETTING ALL THE FLACK FOR ALL WRONG DOINGS IS BECAUSE OF THE PROFFESSIONALS WORKING IN YOUR GOVERMENT AND ARE PUTTING YOU ALL IN TO THE GROUND
IS IT WORTH NOT DOING RIGHT AND SORTING OUT ALL THE BAD PEOPLE AND GETTING GOOD PEOPLE TOO WORK FOR YOU
AND AS WE ARE SPEAKING KNOW COVER UPS AND MISTREATMENT ON CHILDREN IS STILL HAPPENING AND BEEN COVERED UP AND WHY AGAIN BECAUSE PROFFESSIONALS ARE FAILLING AND DOING WRONG AND THEY THINK IF THEY COVER UP THE WRONGS THEY WILL GO AWAY BUT THEY WONT
THEN AGAIN ITS COMING BACK TO THE GOVERMENT [YOU]
WHEN I AM GOING TO SAY WHAT I AM KNOW THERES NO DISRESPECT OR MILLIOUSNESS IN WHAT IM GOING TO SAY
BUT WHAT IF IT WAS ALL YOUR FAMILLIES BEEN ABUSED YOUR SON
YOUR DAUGHTER
YOUR MOM
DAD WHO EVER IS CLOSE TO YOU DO YOU THINK YOU ALL COULD LIVE WITH YOUR SELVES AND BRUSH IT UNDER THE CARPERT
NO I DONT THINK YOU ALL COULD
SO WHY LET OUR CHILDREN SUFFER FROM PROFFESSIONALS WHO DO NOT HAVE THE HEART OR RIGHTS TO LET THIS HAPPEN TO OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILLIES
AND YES IN THIS CRUEL WORLD THERE PARENTS WHO ARE EVIL BUT THE PARENTS WHO ARE EVIL THE INNOCENT PARENTS ARE HAVING THERE FAMILLIES DESTROYED AND EVEN ENDING THERE LIVES THROUGH THE SYSTEMS FAILLINGS AND MORE
I PROBABLY WILL GET AOT OF GRIEF FOR WRITING THIS TOO YOU THE GOVERMENT BUT WE WAS BROUGHT IN TO THIS WORLD BY THE LAWS OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND TO ABIDE BY THE LAW BUT THERES PROFFESSIONALS AND PEOPLE OUT THERE THINK ITS OK TO BREAK THE LAW AND HAVE OUR HUMAN RIGHTS TAKEN FROM US WHICH IS SO SAD CUS THIS WORLD WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE IF WE ALL WORKED TOGETHER AS HUMAN BEINGS AND TO BELIVE IN WHAT WE WAS BROUGHT IN THE WORLD FOR
THERES TOO MUCH
LOSS
HATE
VIOLENCE AND MORE IN THIS WORLD THIS IS WHY IT DOES FUNCTION IN THE RIGHT WAY
AND ALL I CAN SAY IT WAS I HAVE AND I HOPE THAT THE SYSTEMS WILL CHANGE FOR THE BETTER
THANK YOU
CLARE WAKEMAN
Reply, Reply All or Forward | More
LikeLike
Pingback: Child Sex Abuse: Green light for Goddard inquiry with caveats from MPs – David Hencke | Vox Political
I really do think that the Home Office should be stripped of any influence in this enquiry as, in many ways, they are in the dock too until mysteriously missing documents are found and questions surrounding the security services being used to cover illicit tracks stretching back … well … who knows how long is established.
But our democracy is tainted and without any credibility until this unholiest of messes is dealt with properly.
All sex offenders must be brought to atone for their crimes but most especially and as an over-riding priority if such criminals occupy, or have occupied, high positions of public trust and responsibility. We need also to know who the now dead ones were too, in order to see if knowledge of their crimes affects our view of our countries history, and how that, in turn, affects us all today.
LikeLike
keith vaz has covered up so much child abuse lost child abuse files and more and especially on historical abuse too
i have nothing nice to say about people who cover up child abuse
LikeLike
@meggiemom why on earth was Vaz put in charge of Home Office select committee any way?
Oh wait. It becomes obvious after a while
Islington Richmond Leicester
LikeLike
sabine has the balls to tell the truth and i have found so much on my historical abuse cases im working on and guess who is involved
LikeLike
And Tavistock Institute
LikeLike
SECRET]
CABINET MEETING FEB 1982
those present:
The Rt Hon Margaret Thatcher MP
Prime Minister
The Rt Hon Wlliam Whitelaw
Secretary of State for the Home Department
The Rt Hon Lord Carrington
Secretary of State for Foreign and
Commonwealth Affairs
The Rt Hon Sir Keith Joseph MP
secreatary of State for Education and Science
The Rt Hon James Prior MP
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Rt Patrick Walker MP
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
The Rt Hon George Younger MP
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Rt Hon Humphrey Atkins MP
Lord Privy Seal
The Rt John Biffen MP
Secretary of State for Trade
The Rt Hon Norman Fowler MP
Secretary of State for Social Services
The Rt Hon Baroness Young
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The Rt Hon Norman Tebbit MP
Secretary of State for Employment
The Rt Hon Sir Goffrey Howe QC MP
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Rt Hon Francis Pym MP
Lord President of the Council
The Rt Hon John Nott MP
Secretary of State of Defence
The Rt Hon Michael Heseltine MP
Secretary of State for the Environment
The Rt Hon Nicholas Edwards MP
Secretary of State for Wales
The Rt Hon Patrick Jenkln MP
Secretary of State for Industry
The Rt Hon David Howell MP
Secretary of State for Transport
The Rt Hon Leon Brittan QC MP
Chief Secretary, Treasury
The Rt Hon Nigel Lawson MP
Secretary of State for Energy
The Rt Hon Cecil Parkinson MP
Paymaster General
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR NORTHERN IRELAND said that
he intended to make a statement in the House of Commons that
afternoon about the allegations of criminal sexual misconduct made
against persons employed at or otherwise connected with the Kincora
House boys home in Northern Ireland. The accusations now being
investigated by the police included suggestions that security in the
Province might have been compromised by the use of blackmail
against those concerned. He proposed to announce that the
Government intended to set up a public inquiry under a High Court
judge once the police had completed their investigations into the
alleged offences and any subsequent criminal proceedings had been
concluded. The precise form of the judicial inquiry would be
decided at a later date. The Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster
Constabulary (RUC) would also invite Her Majesty’s Chief
lnspector of Constabulary to arrange for another Chief Constable
to investigate the handling of the affair by the RUC.
The Cabinet Took note
TRANSCRIPT OF ACTUAL CABINET MEETING AT NUMBER 10 DOWNING STREET FEB 1982
I wish to place this here as a public record with regard to the abuses which took place at Kincorra boys home
LikeLike
The Home Office as far as I can see is a place of secrets and secrecy despite Mr Wanless being asked to delve and unearth documents most of which are heavily redacted.
I discovered this myself by my FOI requests which none so far have been answered with endless internal enquirues required even internal enquiries into internal enquiries. It seems that Home Office does all it can to avoid answering requests and delays and avoids anything
Even a flat rejection with no explanation and my request marked as HIDDEN must tell you something about that place
LikeLike
Yeh, there are loads in the TNA like this one so much for the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921. Did you know staff on ‘private work’ pre-opening hours have access to all files. Very useful even though expensive
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Britain Isn't Eating.
LikeLike
This video shows Sabine Kurjo McNeil in some distress because she felt the need to flee to Germany. She is a straightforward, courageous lady who has stood up for many victims of legal abuse over the years (as well as sharing info about our corrupt financial system), she was trying to bring further info to light about child sex abuse, please see the video, thanks.
LikeLike
Hi Michelle,
I am putting up your post with the YouTube link as a comment on my site. As I have not investigated these allegations and have no knowledge I leave it to readers to make up their own mind about what is going on.
LikeLike
I think it wise to let it be seen in this way, I also have no back ground info about the allegations, I am simply aware of Sabine’s straightforward stance with Victims united, thank you.
LikeLike
It has taken a considerable amount of time since November, David, to investigate the case and write legal papers, after the mother dismissed 2 solicitors and a barrister who were clearly NOT working in her best interest. But then that’s what we are used to as http://www.mckenzie-friends.co.uk
The reason for going public with the petition was judge Anne Pauffley’s non-response to the Position Statement at the last hearing that the mother attended. She realised that the judge had no intention of returning the children.
The petition is on https://www.change.org/p/the-rt-hon-theresa-may-mp-return-whistleblowerkids-and-abusesurvivors-to-their-russian-family with 11,066 signatures in 17 days.
LikeLike
It’s yet more cases of child sexual abuse in the UK. A former senior social worker at a Nottinghamshire children’s home has said her complaints about abuse by care workers were ignored because of the children’s poor background. She says police officers used derogatory terms to describe alleged victims.
As if being abused by paedo criminals wasn’t enough you have police officers with prejudicial attitudes too
LikeLike
A Wanless reply 2014: ‘Otherwise you and others will want to help ensure that the wider review (when will it and its terms ever be announced) has space and authority to delve more widely.’
LikeLike
Deep in TNA at mo. Heard the recent FOI submitted by an MP has just been refused Relates to another diplomat and PIE leading member. I have been told what is in the closed file, Its Hayman all over again.
LikeLike
Pingback: Child Sex Abuse: Green light for Goddard inquiry with caveats from MPs | David Hencke | fighting for the rights of childrens human rights