Theresa May: Baroness Butler-Sloss was the right choice to head inquiry

 
Standing firm: Theresa May said the decision to appoint Baroness Butler-Sloss was the right one
Robin de Peyer15 July 2014
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Theresa May has insisted Baroness Butler-Sloss was the right person to appoint as chair of an inquiry into child sex abuse after the retired judge dramatically stepped down from the role today.

Appearing in front of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, the Home Secretary said she was "sorry" that she had resigned her position and defended her as a woman of "absolute integrity".

In tense exchanges with Mrs May, chairman Keith Vaz told the Home Secretary that his committee was "questioning your judgement".

Pressure on Baroness Butler-Sloss had been mounting since her appointment was criticised by victim support groups and lawyers after it was announced last week.

Mrs May told MPs: "I am very sorry that Baroness Butler-Sloss has resigned her position from the inquiry.

"I recognise there's been a lot of suggestion and innuendo around. I reject entirely that she was not the right person to do the job and I continue to consider her as a person of absolute integrity.

"I continue to believe that she would have done an excellent job given her experience, her expertise, and her integrity. Of course consideration was given as to the appropriateness of her to chair this inquiry. I continue to believe Elizabeth Butler-Sloss is a woman of impeccable integrity."

Questions over the suitability of Baroness Butler-Sloss to head the inquiry had centred on her brother, the late Lord Nigel Havers, who played a role when he was Attorney-General in the 1980s in the decision not to prosecute a senior diplomat who was a paedophile. He is alleged to have argued with the late Tory MP Geoffrey Dickens to try to stop him using Parliamentary privilege to name the man in the Commons.

Mrs May said the 80-year-old retired judge had made the decision to resign herself, and insisted she would have done an "excellent job" had she remained in position.

Addressing the Home Secretary, Labour MP Mr Vaz said: "We're all great fans of Lady Butler-Sloss's integrity. Nobody is questioning her integrity, it is your judgment that we are questioning."

Asked if a decision had been made as to who would replace Baroness Butler-Sloss, she said she "won't be hanging around" in making an appointment, but declined to say the candidate would not be a senior member of the judiciary who is a member of the House of Lords.

Her appearance came after Baroness Butler-Sloss dramatically quit as head of the child sex abuse after being appointed six days ago.

In a statement issued this morning, Lady Butler-Sloss said: "It has become apparent over the last few days, however, that there is a widespread perception, particularly among victim and survivor groups, that I am not the right person to chair the inquiry.

“It has also become clear to me that I did not sufficiently consider whether my background and the fact my brother had been attorney general would cause difficulties.”

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