Third victim quits Government grooming inquiry panel

The Rotherham survivor also pointed to what she described as a "sense of control and stage-management" that she said had left many of her fellow victims of grooming gangs "questioning whether our voices truly matter".

Elizabeth secured a conviction against one of her perpetrators Ashgar Bostan following an investigation by the National Crime Agency.

The campaigner said she joined the panel "in the hope of helping to bring real change — to ensure that no survivor would ever again have to fight to be heard".

She added: "Sadly, I no longer believe that this panel is delivering the truth, transparency, and accountability that survivors deserve."

Elizabeth has quit the panel following Fiona Goddard and Ellie-Ann Reynolds, victims from Bradford and Barrow, who said they feared a widening of the inquiry scope and pointed to being "silenced" by the process.

Both survivors also pointed to concerns about former police officers or social workers chairing the probe.

Speaking in the Commons this afternoon, Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips said the survivor engagement process was being handled by an independent charity called NWG.

She said there had been "misinformation" shared about the process.

Elizabeth's resignation from the panel comes after GB News revealed today that Annie Hudson, a senior social worker, had removed herself from the inquiry process.

Ms Hudson is understood to have been frustrated by media focus in recent days as she withdrew from the process ahead of interviews with the panel.

GB News has also heard from survivors on the panel who want the scope to include other elements of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: "This is further evidence Labour are sabotaging the Grooming Gangs inquiry.

"From Keir Starmer telling me in January an inquiry wasn't needed, to Labour's future Deputy Leader Lucy Powell dismissing the grooming gangs scandal as 'dog whistle', Labour have never been serious about getting justice for the survivors of these appalling crimes.

"The simple truth is that Keir Starmer lacks the backbone to take the tough decisions our country needs."

The Home Office said in a statement yesterday: "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.

"We are working urgently to appoint the best Chair to take forward this work and deliver justice, putting victims and survivors at the heart of the process.

"We are grateful to all those who have shared their insights with us. We share the concerns around unhelpful speculation while this process is live - which is why we will not be providing a running commentary."

Letter of resignation

In her resignation letter, Elizabeth wrote: "It is with a heavy heart that I am resigning as a participant in the National Inquiry Survivors Panel.

"I have always believed in truth, transparency, and justice for survivors. However, I am deeply concerned that there still isn’t a genuine understanding of the grooming gangs scandal, nor the lasting trauma it has caused.

"Far too often, survivors like myself continue to be suppressed and silenced. It feels as though this remains one of Britain’s darkest secrets.

"In my own case, I was silenced from 2002 until 2014 — 12 long years — until the Jay Report on Rotherham finally confirmed what we had been saying all along: that we were always telling the truth. What is happening now feels like a cover-up of a cover-up.

"It has created a toxic environment for survivors, filled with pressures that we should not have to deal with. Increasingly, I have seen selective narratives being promoted — ones that appear to serve particular agendas, especially around issues of race and the narrative of 'widening the scope'.

"This approach risks distorting the realities of what happened and, once again, marginalising the survivors whose voices should be at the very centre of this work.

"I am also increasingly concerned about perceived conflicts of interest within the Inquiry. Many survivors fear that political influences may already be embedded in its structure. Such perceptions undermine public trust and raise serious questions about the Inquiry’s independence.

"Furthermore, the recent departure of Annie Hudson has added to these worries. Survivors are left wondering whether important issues and decisions will continue to receive the scrutiny they deserve.

"Transparency and accountability are essential if the Inquiry is to maintain credibility. More and more, I have begun to feel that much of this process is scripted and predetermined — as though outcomes are being shaped in advance, rather than emerging from honest, open dialogue with survivors.

"This sense of control and stage-management has left many of us questioning whether our voices truly matter, or whether we are being used to legitimise decisions that have already been made.

"Many of us feel that we are being silenced once again, and by remaining part of this process, I fear that I am becoming complicit in the continued suppression of survivors’ voices," the letter added.

"I joined this panel in the hope of helping to bring real change — to ensure that no survivor would ever again have to fight to be heard. Sadly, I no longer believe that this panel is delivering the truth, transparency, and accountability that survivors deserve.

"I will always stand for truth and justice, and I hope that one day survivors, victims, and their families will see that day when we no longer have to fight to be believed.

"Thank you for the opportunity to contribute, and I sincerely hope the Inquiry, the NWG, and the Home Office take these concerns to heart and act with the courage and integrity that survivors deserve."

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