'Shambolic' Theresa May under fire as ex-judge Butler-Sloss QUITS child abuse inquiry

Her brother Sir Michael Havers sat in the
Cabinet as attorney general from 1979-87

The Government's inquiry into historic child sex abuse was thrown into disarray today after the ex-judge chosen to lead a wide-ranging inquiry dramatically quit - leaving the Home Secretary Theresa May facing questions over her judgement.

Baroness Butler-Sloss said she had not 'sufficiently considered' concerns that her brother Michael Havers sat in the Cabinet during the 1980s - the period on which claims of a cover-up are focussed.

Mrs May this afternoon admitted to MPs that she was not aware that the late Conservative Attorney General had allegedly attempted to stop an MP airing paedophile allegations in Parliament.

Baroness Butler Sloss's resignation comes less than a week after David Cameron agreed to an inquiry into allegations that politicians, the police, the judiciary, celebrities, the BBC, the NHS and the Church conspired to cover-up abuse over several decades.

Mrs May this afternoon told the Home Affairs Select Committee that she stood by her decision to appoint the former judge to head up the inquiry.

She said she was aware of 'number of issues' raised in the past about Baroness Butler Sloss' brother, but not the revelation that he had tried to stop whistleblowing MP Geoffrey Dickinson from making allegations of child sex abuse in Parliament.  (more...)

'Shambolic' Theresa May under fire as ex-judge Butler-Sloss QUITS child abuse inquiry

A really bad day:

Mrs May stared, clasping her scarlet nails