Leon Brittan
| Leon Brittan link (Lawyer, politician) | |
|---|---|
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| Born | 1939-09-25 North London, England |
| Died | 2015-01-21 London, England |
| Nationality | UK |
| Alma mater | Trinity College (Cambridge) |
| Religion | Judaism |
| Spouse | Diana Clemetson |
| Party | Conservative |
former European Commissioner | |
Leon Brittan, Conservative peer and former European Commissioner.
UK VIPaedophile
- Full article: UK/VIPaedophile
- Full article: UK/VIPaedophile
Leon Brittan was publicly named in July 2015 as being involved in the VIPaedophile Child Abuse Inquiry as a result of allegations made by Carl Beech.[1]
In February 2013, Scotland Yard commanders were briefed by the detective chief inspector in charge of the Metropolitan Police Service’s paedophile unit, who outlined his intention to arrest and charge Lord Brittan. The senior detective said that his team was still at an early stage of its investigations, but had already gathered a good deal of evidence that the ex-minister had sexually abused boys. In addition, one woman had told detectives that Lord Brittan raped her when she was a young woman. Exaro does not have a list of who attended the briefing, but the commanders had asked to be updated on where the highly sensitive investigations (Operation Fairbank and Operation Fernbridge) were going. Sources involved in the investigations have expressed fears to Exaro that they will be closed down, as has happened in the past.[2]
A year later, Labour MP Tom Watson named Lord Brittan as the former cabinet minister who allegedly raped a young woman – identified only as Jane – in an explosive letter to Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders, while suggesting that the police were unwilling to investigate him properly because of his status.[3] In June 2014, Brittan was interviewed under caution by police in connection with the alleged rape of a 19-year-old student in his central London flat in 1967, before he became an MP. They had not pursued the allegation when it was first made, on the grounds of insufficient evidence. The police reopened the investigation after Alison Saunders had been lobbied by Tom Watson to investigate further. In a statement on 7 July 2014, Brittan denied the claims.[4]
In October 2014, the Labour MP Jimmy Hood used parliamentary privilege to refer to claims that Lord Brittan had been linked to child abuse. After Brittan died in January 2015, Watson accused him of "multiple child rape"; he said he had spoken to two people who claimed they were abused by Brittan.[5]
On 1 September 2017 it was reported that the Metropolitan Police had paid substantial compensation to Lord Brittan's widow for having raided their home "after accepting that the searches had been unjustified and should never have taken place."[6] Carl Beech, whose claims spurred Operation Midland, was convicted of making up the allegations in July 2019.[7]
In January 2020, on Sky News, Watson explained:
- “I was doing my very best to try and give very vulnerable people their voice in the criminal justice system.”
He said Lady Brittan had refused to accept his apology.[8]
References
- ↑ "Man behind Leon Brittan allegations regrets 'witch-hunt'"
- ↑ "Scotland Yard commanders secretly briefed on dramatic plans for police investigation"
- ↑ "MP launches blistering attack on Met for failing to interview ex-minister over rape claim"
- ↑ "Brittan says historical rape claim 'wholly unfounded'"
- ↑ "Leon Brittan sex abuse allegations: Two come forward to claim they were abused by former Home Secretary"
- ↑ "Met Police pays compensation to Lord Bramall and Lady Brittan over disastrous Operation Midland investigation"
- ↑ "The Unbelievable Story of Carl Beech review – the paedophile ring that wasn't"
- ↑ "Tom Watson says 'sorry' for getting 'too close' to child abuse probe and 'accepts mistakes' over Carl Beech"