Overview
- Annie Hudson pulled out of contention to lead the inquiry after intense media attention, leaving former police chief Jim Gamble as the only publicly known candidate while officials say other names remain under consideration.
- Three survivors have now resigned from the victims and survivors liaison panel — Fiona Goddard, Ellie-Ann Reynolds and an anonymised member known as Elizabeth — alleging a toxic environment, secretive decision‑making and efforts to silence them.
- Resigning survivors objected to a shortlist featuring a former police chief and a senior social worker, calling it a conflict of interest and saying it would let services 'mark their own homework'.
- Survivors also warned that proposals to widen the remit beyond street‑based grooming gangs risk watering down the focus and downplaying racial and religious factors they say were central to many cases.
- The Home Office and Downing Street reject claims of dilution and say the appointment process continues, as politicians including Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch press for ministers to 'grip' the situation and move to a judge‑led model.