Abuse Victims Snub Inquiry Amid Crunch Meeting

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Victims of alleged historical sex abuse say they will snub an inquiry led by the Home Office - as Theresa May hosts a crunch meeting about the investigation.

Yesterday, Sky News learned that 24 individuals have signed a letter to the Home Secretary saying they have lost confidence in the inquiry.

Today, a further five people - understood to be one survivor and four professionals - have added their names to the letter.

The letter states three reasons for withdrawing. First, the signatories are unhappy that the terms of reference of the inquiry do not go far enough.

They want the inquiry to investigate the government and the establishment over cover-ups of paedophiles in their ranks.

Second, they say that while two successive heads of the inquiry have stood down, there are other conflicts of interest among members of the panel.

Third, they feel the investigation should look further back than 1970 - going back to 1945.

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Gallery: Westminster "Paedophile Ring" Allegations

Nov 1983: Geoffrey Dickens MP sends dossier to Home Secretary Leon Brittan naming Cyril Smith and others

March 1984: Mr Brittan writes to Mr Dickens, says dossier assessed by prosecutors, handed to police

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May 1995: Mr Dickens dies before any arrests or prosecutions are brought

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Sep 2010: Rochdale MP Smith dies without ever being formally charged over abuse claims

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Sep 2012: Jimmy Savile child abuse scandal breaks, spawns litany of historical sex abuse allegations

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The letter states: "As survivors and associated professionals, we were very much hoping to take up the invitations to engage with your Ministerial Officers to discuss the Child Sex Abuse Inquiry, but we regret to say we have to decline.

"We, alongside many survivors, have made numerous representations to you regarding our view that the inquiry as it stands is not fit for purpose."

The letter to Mrs May came ahead of her planned meeting later today with representatives of abuse victims.

It is understood some victims and representatives will go ahead with the meeting, while others will use the opportunity to formally withdraw from the process.

Mrs May told Sky News she was aware of the letter and re-iterated that failings of parts of government and institutions must be investigated.

"The issues in the letter have been spoken about before," she said.

"But I am clear we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get to the bottom of this issue."

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Gallery: Timeline Of Inquiry Into Westminster Abuse Claims

1 July - Leon Brittan called on to say what he knew about paedophile allegations passed to him in 1980s

7 July - Theresa May announces inquiry into how child sex abuse claims were investigated

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The inquiry into historical child sex abuse allegations has suffered a series of setbacks and controversies in recent months.

The first chair of the inquiry, Lady Butler-Sloss, was forced to step down due to her late brother, Lord Havers, being an attorney general during much of the period under review.

City lawyer Fiona Woolf was then appointed in September to chair the panel.

But she soon faced criticism over her social links to former Home Secretary Lord Brittan and his wife.

Her connection with Lord Brittan came under scrutiny as he is likely to be called to give evidence to the inquiry about his handling of child abuse allegations.

He denies failing to act on a dossier of paedophilia allegations he received while in office in the 1980s.

In late October, Mrs Woolf announced that she would resign from the role after victims said they did not have confidence in her.

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