Two grooming gang victims RESIGN from Home Office panel amid fears of being 'silenced'

Fellow victim Ellie-Ann Reynolds also resigned, saying: "The final turning point for [her] was the push to widen the remit of the National Inquiry in ways that downplay the racial and religious motivations behind our abuse."

The panel is supporting the Government’s national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal, which Sir Keir Starmer ordered earlier this year, after a report by Baroness Casey found that there were still widespread problems with how the state understood and tackled the issue.

Bradford abuse victim Ms Goddard said there were a "multitude of issues" that led to her resignation and described "serious concern" with the ongoing process of the inquiry.

She wrote in her letter: "The dynamics of this inquiry, including potential chairs and progress, should have been conducted openly and honestly by the Government, and survivors should have had the choice to voice their opinions if they decided to.

"Instead, the secretive conduct and conditions imposed on survivors have led to a toxic, fearful environment, and there is a high risk of people feeling silenced all over again. As such, I have made the difficult decision to leave the Victims/Survivor Liaison Panel, and not continue with the meetings this week."

Ms Goddard also cited concerns around "certain members of the panel" and their connections with "members of the Labour Government", which "presents conflict of interest and incentives".

She further referred to the "condescending and controlling language" used towards survivors.

"One of my main issues was being told in the beginning that the survivors on the panel were to be consulted on the independent chair, and yet when the time came we were told it was ‘first come first served’, and many did not make it into the meeting," the letter stated.

"Each survivor has valuable experience to bring to the table after years of being ignored, derided and silenced.

"To tell them their voices mattered, and then once again shut them out no doubt left some survivors feeling like they did before: unheard and unimportant. I hope that in leaving the panel, someone else will be given the opportunity to make sure their voice is heard."

Ms Reynolds echoed the thoughts of Ms Goddard, writing in her letter: "I joined this process hoping that, at last, survivors like me would have a voice and that our evidence and experiences would help uncover the truth about what happened and why. I believed this inquiry would be different. It isn't.

"From the start, we were kept in the dark. The Home Office held meetings we weren't told about, made decisions we couldn't question, and withheld information that directly affected our work. When I asked for clarity, I was treated with contempt and ignored. I watched on, as it became less about truth and more about a cover-up.

"You isolated us by discouraging contact with each other and with our support networks. You dictated what we could say publicly, edited our words, and made it clear that speaking openly would jeopardise our place on the panel. Work with us, or not at all, became the unspoken rule."

Ms Reynolds continued: "I cannot take part in a process that manipulates survivors, censors our voices, and tries to dilute the reality of what happened.

"Leaving comes at a cost. I wanted to help. I wanted this to work. But by staying silent, I would become complicit in a lie. I resign with sadness, but also with certainty. The truth deserves more than managed disclosure and quiet obedience. I will not be manipulated. Nor will I be used."

It was revealed yesterday that the candidates shortlisted to chair the national inquiry into grooming gangs are police officer Jim Gamble and social worker Annie Hudson.

Ms Goddard said having either candidate lead the inquiry would "once again be letting services mark their own homework".

A number of other campaigners believe someone with a legal background should lead the inquiry, including Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick who thinks the chair should have "deep experience" of criminal cases necessary for handling the "deeply complex" information involved.

In response to Ms Goddard's letter of resignation, Mr Jenrick said it suggests the Prime Minister is "just not serious about "delivering answers the victims so desperately deserves".

He wrote to X: "A senior judge with deep experience of criminal and family cases, is best placed to interrogate the evidence and extract answers that are not forthcoming.

"The evidence will inevitably challenge the integrity of the police and social services at the highest levels, who repeatedly failed the victims and then covered their tracks. Yet the two contenders to lead the inquiry have backgrounds in both services.

"That’s why a rape gang survivor has resigned from the taskforce, citing 'disturbing conflicts of interest'.

"Keir Starmer dragged his feet before setting up this inquiry and this latest development suggests that once again he is just not serious about delivering answers the victims so desperately deserve."

The Conservatives have called on the Government to restructure its national inquiry to ensure it is "independent, credible, and led by a sitting or recently retired senior judge".

The Party said Ms Goddard's resignation serves as a "warning that victims feel ignored and betrayed".

Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Philp, said: "Victims and survivors have been betrayed over and over again. First by the authorities who ignored them, and now by a government that’s watering down its own inquiry before it’s even begun.

"Survivors will never get justice from the same institutions that failed them in the before. This inquiry must be led by a sitting or recently retired senior judge, not ex-police officers or social workers marking their own homework.

“The Conservatives are demanding a full, statutory, judge-led inquiry into the rape gangs and the cover-ups that protected them. Every official, police officer, and councillor who enabled these crimes must face prosecution for misconduct in public office. No more delays, no more excuses, no more cover up."

The Home Office said it is "working urgently to appoint the best chair" for the inquiry and is "putting victims and survivors at the heart of the process".

A statement read: "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."

In January, the Government committed to at least five local inquiries into grooming gangs and for police forces to reopen cold case investigations, and launched the rapid audit by Baroness Casey, who published her findings in June.

The audit also pointed to limited data collection by police forces, local government and health authorities.

It was also found that ethnicity data went unrecorded altogether for two-thirds of gang abusers.

Sir Keir committed to launching a fresh national inquiry to investigate the institutional failures in June.

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