Yvette Cooper MP Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, responding to Lady Butler-Sloss’s decision to stand down as Chair of the inquiry into allegations of historic child sex abuse said:

“As Lady Butler-Sloss has said the most important thing is victims have confidence in this inquiry.

"We have called for this inquiry for over eighteen months. It is very unfortunate that the last minute nature of the Home Secretary’s response means that proper consideration was not given to the perception of conflict of interest and Lady Butler-Sloss was placed in an unfair position by the Home Office.

"She has done some excellent work on child protection, but the Home Office has not managed to address the concerns about either victim confidence or conflict of interest, and Lady Butler-Sloss’s decision is the right one.

"The Home Secretary must now put together an experienced and credible panel with clear terms of reference that can maintain the confidence of victims throughout.

"The Government’s response to the very serious allegations over child abuse is in danger of losing direction. This inquiry now has no chair and no terms of reference and there is considerable confusion over what it will be able to cover, and what the powers of the other investigation into the Home Office and Whitehall will be too.

"The Home Secretary needs to provide some clear direction for both these inquiries rapidly. Theresa May needs to demonstrate that she is taking both historic allegations and current child protection issues sufficiently seriously and that a proper framework will be in place to deliver justice for victims, truth about what happened and lessons for the future.”