Day 12 of Janner hearings of #CSAinquiry:
Statement from Tony Blair – to explain why he made Greville Janner a Lord – due to be read. In closed session.
NOT being questioned.
Helen Ewen, head of honours secretariat at Cabinet Office, due to be called.
Statement from Tony Blair – to explain why he made Greville Janner a Lord – due to be read. In closed session.
NOT being questioned.
Helen Ewen, head of honours secretariat at Cabinet Office, due to be called.
https://twitter.com/MarkWatts_1/status/1319212216495853568
As I revealed, all of the many people who accused Greville, later Lord, Janner of child sexual abuse have been frozen out of #CSAinquiry.
But a cyphered person, “JA-B24” due to be called today. Not sure whether this person is a survivor or a relative.
But a cyphered person, “JA-B24” due to be called today. Not sure whether this person is a survivor or a relative.
https://twitter.com/MarkWatts_1/status/1304044381306003456
Janner hearings of #CSAinquiry also due to hear today from Gregor McGill, CPS director of legal services.
He will be asked why the late Greville Janner, Labour MP and peer, was not prosecuted despite three criminal investigations into him. Partly in open session, partly closed.
He will be asked why the late Greville Janner, Labour MP and peer, was not prosecuted despite three criminal investigations into him. Partly in open session, partly closed.
But Tony Blair, and everyone else at Janner hearings of #CSAinquiry will have to wait for Michael Creedon, retired chief constable, to finish his evidence.
Behind closed doors again, but hardly surprising when you consider what he has to say:
Behind closed doors again, but hardly surprising when you consider what he has to say:
https://twitter.com/MarkWatts_1/status/1320635777470980097
Michael Creedon has completed his testimony behind closed doors.
Helen Ewen of the Cabinet Office is giving evidence in open session before she too will go in camera.
Helen Ewen of the Cabinet Office is giving evidence in open session before she too will go in camera.
Helen Ewen is confirming basic points about nomination of peerages as set out in a statement by Sir Richard Heaton, retired permanent secretary for Ministry of Justice.
Brian Altman, counsel to #CSAinquiry, says that Helen Ewen is testifying in place of Sir Richard Heaton who cannot attend because he has retired.
Helen Ewen confirms to #CSAinquiry that years before he was ennobled, Greville Janner was nominated for a knighthood.
The Home Office backed this nomination.
But, for unknown reasons, it was not pursued and he never became Sir Greville, she confirms.
The Home Office backed this nomination.
But, for unknown reasons, it was not pursued and he never became Sir Greville, she confirms.
The nomination for knighthood for Greville Janner cited his services to the Jewish community, Helen Ewen confirms.
Tony Blair nominated Greville Janner for a life peerage in 1997, saying that he had been a “highly respected MP”, and had performed a good deal of services for charity and the Jewish community, Helen Ewen confirms to #CSAinquiry.
That is it for Helen Ewen in open. She is due to give further evidence at #CSAinquiry after lunch, but behind closed doors.
Helen Ewen, honours official at Cabinet Office, is continuing her evidence in closed session this afternoon before a witness statement from Tony Blair is read out at Janner hearing of #CSAinquiry about why he ennobled Greville Janner – also behind closed doors.
In 1992, Greville Janner was recommended to be knighted, 5yrs before being nominated for a peerage, #CSAinquiry heard this am.
And that was only ONE YEAR after he escaped arrest over allegations of child sexual abuse in Frank Beck case, as we heard yday:
And that was only ONE YEAR after he escaped arrest over allegations of child sexual abuse in Frank Beck case, as we heard yday:
https://twitter.com/MarkWatts_1/status/1320635777470980097
And NO ONE in Whitehall could produce any document, or any explanation, as to why proposed knighthood for Greville Janner ONE YEAR after he was investigated for child sexual abuse – and despite having been supported by the Home Office – did not proceed, #CSAinquiry heard this am.
“Public” hearings in Janner investigation of #CSAinquiry are mostly behind closed doors.
Inquiry produces short “summaries” of these closed sessions, and absurdly gives job descriptions but no names for witnesses, even though their own timetables identify them.
Inquiry produces short “summaries” of these closed sessions, and absurdly gives job descriptions but no names for witnesses, even though their own timetables identify them.
So I am looking forward to #CSAinquiry summary of today’s hearing in closed session on what an unnamed “former UK prime minister” had to say in his statement on ennobling Greville Janner in 1997.
Tony Blair is known to have nominated Greville Janner to join the House of Lords in 1997 shortly after becoming prime minister.
Blair had written the forward to Janner’s memoirs published only the year before...
Blair had written the forward to Janner’s memoirs published only the year before...
In his memoirs, Greville Janner wrote that he after deciding to stand down as an MP he thought that it would be “splendid” to become a Lord.
So he consulted his “valued friend”, Peter, later Lord, Mandelson, who told him: “You’ll have to talk to Tony. I’ll ask him.”
So he consulted his “valued friend”, Peter, later Lord, Mandelson, who told him: “You’ll have to talk to Tony. I’ll ask him.”
On Greville Janner’s wish to join House of Lords, Tony Blair reportedly told him: “I shall do my best to get you there. It’s not just that I’m fond of you, which I am. It’s not just that you’ve helped me a lot, which you have. It’s because you deserve it…”
Tony Blair is said to have added to Greville Janner: “ I can’t give you any guarantees. If we win the election, there should not be a problem.”
Labour won a landslide election in 1997, and Janner was on Blair’s first list of new peers.
Labour won a landslide election in 1997, and Janner was on Blair’s first list of new peers.
Meanwhile, Gregor McGill, director of legal services at CPS, was due to give evidence partly in open session today at #CSAinquiry as to why not one of three police probes into Greville, later Lord, Janner resulted in charges.
But he is being kept behind closed doors this pm.
But he is being kept behind closed doors this pm.
“Summary” by #CSAinquiry of evidence in closed session for Day 12 says that an ex-resident of Beeches children’s home recalled Greville Janner, then a Labour MP, visiting the place several times...
Note that inquiry has decided that hearings will hear from no abuse survivors.
Note that inquiry has decided that hearings will hear from no abuse survivors.
Former resident of Beeches children’s home, according to “summary” by #CSAinquiry of testimony in closed session, said that Greville Janner used to take him and other boys in a mini-bus to go swimming at a Holiday Inn.
Former resident of Beeches children’s home said that Greville Janner “seemed to have a thing with boys in pants and swimming trunks. The way he was around boys was inappropriate,” as recorded by #CSAinquiry “summary” of closed session.
“Summary” by #CSAinquiry of closed session for Day 12 records that Tony Blair said in his statement that he could “unfortunately recall nothing of the specific events” of his nomination of Greville Janner for the House of Lords.
He said, though, that officials vetted Janner.
He said, though, that officials vetted Janner.
Why could Tony Blair recall NOTHING of why he nominated Greville Janner to become a life peer within around two months of his election in 1997?
It was “a period of considerable activity,” and it was 23 years ago, he said, according to #CSAinquiry “summary” of closed session.
It was “a period of considerable activity,” and it was 23 years ago, he said, according to #CSAinquiry “summary” of closed session.
Why did officials note that the time for scrutiny of Tony Blair’s first list of proposed Lords was “limited”, Tony Blair said: “I recall nothing of the specific events… I am unable to say whether that would definitely have followed here,” #CSAinquiry “summary” of closed session.
Tony Blair said that the “usual processes” of vetting were carried out for his nomination of Greville Janner and others on his list of prospective peers, according to #CSAinquiry “summary” of closed session.
Officials had “very full and frank information”.
Officials had “very full and frank information”.
Tony Blair’s statement was read out in closed session to protect, allegedly, identity of one of Lord Janner’s accusers.
#CSAinquiry has not published the statement, only a summary. It is plain as day that the reason for that is nothing to do with protecting any abuse surivivor.
#CSAinquiry has not published the statement, only a summary. It is plain as day that the reason for that is nothing to do with protecting any abuse surivivor.
“Summary” by #CSAinquiry of evidence in closed session for Day 12 says that unnamed director of legal services at CPS – but known to be Gregor McGill – suggests that he tried to row back a bit on the agency’s admissions in 2015 over failing to prosecute Lord Janner in the past.
Gregor McGill: “The statement made in 2015 was perhaps looked at through the lens of 2015 decision making,” says #CSAinquiry “summary”.
The lawyers who reviewed previous decisions “didn’t turn their mind” to different law and prosecutors’ code at time of previous investigations.
The lawyers who reviewed previous decisions “didn’t turn their mind” to different law and prosecutors’ code at time of previous investigations.
I would note that in the Rochdale hearings of #CSAinquiry Gregor McGill sought to row back in a similar way to an official admission that CPS had missed an opportunity to prosecute Cyril Smith.
But the inquiry was not persuaded by him on that occasion.
But the inquiry was not persuaded by him on that occasion.
Gregor McGill did not finish today, and he will be back to give further testimony – again behind closed doors. Even though he was originally slated to give some evidence in the open. #SecretCSAinquiry
Summary by #CSAinquiry of today’s closed session: iicsa.org.uk/key-documents/…
Summary by #CSAinquiry of today’s closed session: iicsa.org.uk/key-documents/…
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