It is now 200 days since the Home Secretary agreed under pressure to set up the inquiry into historic child abuse.

On 14 July, the first chair stood down. In November, the second chair stood down – both times because the Home Secretary did not do proper checks or consult with survivors.

She promised then that the best way forward was for the panel to get started without the chair, hold meetings with survivors.

Yesterday, the inquiry website announced that all further listening sessions were cancelled.

She said in November she had confidence in the panel.

Yet over Christmas there were reports she was writing to the panel members asking them to apply for their own jobs again.

And there have been troubling accounts of disagreements, tensions and disputes within the panel.

She said in November she would consult with the opposition and others on a new chair. We have heard nothing.

She said she would make sure it had the powers needed. But still today we have no chair, no clarity about the process, no effective inquiry in place.

She will know how serious this inquiry is, and how much it means to those who endured awful abuse in child hood, who were not listened to then, and who deserve to be listened to and to have the chance of justice now.

Yet they are being let down again.

In November she made much of apologising to the survivors.

She promised personally to sort things out

And she said she had a direct message to them. She said, “I know you have questioned the legitimacy of this process… I understand that. I am listening.”

Despite the fact that she had already messed up twice, we and many others supported her in November, because we were desperate to see an effective inquiry up and running and we took her commitment in good faith.

But she is now making a fool of everyone because the inquiry has stalled all over again.

The inquiry has become more important than ever.

Since November the allegations have become far more serious.

The police are now investigating allegations of child murder involving senior figures linked to Dolphin Square.

A Government file has emerged containing further potential allegations of abuse – clearly not seen by the Wanless review.

These need to be investigated by the police, not just an inquiry – but it makes it even more vital that a credible, serious inquiry gets underway – with the confidence of the public and survivors.

Given the seriousness of this, I fear there is now no choice but to start this inquiry again – properly, with a new chair, statutory powers, and proper consideration of the scope and purpose involving survivors themselves

This should not be beyond the wit of the Home Secretary.

Other people have set up effective inquiries – look at Hillsborough, the Northern Ireland inquiry into child abuse, or the Soham inquiry.

Yet still 6 months on, we have no action and no effective inquiry in place. When will she get it sorted?