Margaret Hodge
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 Angus
SticklerSource: Radio 4 An investigation carried out by Radio 4 Today Programme found that a paedophile at the centre of the Islington child abuse scandal went on to abuse children across three continents. Had allegations against Bernie Bain, the former head of a children's home, been properly investigated in the 1980s countless children would have been spared.  Margaret
Hodge was leader of Islington Council at the time. When she was
alerted to the investigation she complained to the Chairman of
the BBC. In the letter below she attacks the former victim as an
‘extremely disturbed person’. He is in fact currently employed as a consultant to a Government Department. Mrs Hodge also accused the Today programme of being unfair in its investigation. She says she was not informed about the case until after she left the council. Angus Stickler spoke to the victim of abuse concerned, Demetrious Panton. Listen to Angus Stickler's report, plus the statement from Margaret Hodge MP (11/11/03). Some parts of what he has to say you may find disturbing.
Margaret Hodge maintains she knew nothing of this case until after she left Islington, and that may well be the case - she was the leader of a council in chaos. In her defence she said her officers misled her over a number of different allegations. She left Islington Council in 1992. In 1994 she was elected as MP for Barking. Her career since then has flourished. In 1996 Demetrious wrote to her directly, hoping for answers. “And what did she do - I wrote a six page letter. She wrote a four line response saying to me that she would refer me to Islington Council,” Demetrious told me. “And I hear her saying that she has spent since 1992 listening to young people who were abused. I find that an amazing statement. We could have actually had Bernie Bain arrested.” Margaret Hodge described the BBC investigation as deplorable sensationalism. The BBC however believe it to be a matter of public interest. Whether she was personally informed about this case is beside the point. She was leader of a council that was in chaos, it failed to investigate allegations of child abuse, including those of Demetrious Panton. But rather than commending him for his efforts our minister for children writes him off as an extremely disturbed person. A view not shared by Detective Superintendent John Sweeney.  Michael
Foster MP - He was appointed a Parliamentary Private Secretary
to Margaret Hodge after the 2001 election.Margaret Hodge's parliamentary private secretary Michael Foster says she should stay in her job, after labelling Islington child abuse victim (Demetrious Panton) "extremely disturbed". Plus Allan Levy QC and Mike Taylor, formerly of the NSPCC (14/11/03).
Demetrious Panton left care to gain a degree in philosophy. He is currently completing an MBA, and is employed as a consultant advising on the Government's New Deal for Communities. His client list is impressive and includes, amongst others, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Statement to BBC chairman Gavyn Davies from Margaret Hodge "Everybody would agree that Mr Panton’s experiences in the 1970’s were dreadful and it is a tribute to him that he continued to pursue his case until the mid 1990’s when the police finally agreed to look into the details. I was the political leader of the council between 1982 and 1992 and whilst I did not have day to day contact with social services, I have on many occasions, including on the Today Programme, expressed deep regret for those children who were abused in Islington homes over many decades. Since becoming children’s Minister in June, Angus Stickler and the Today Programme have been constantly telephoning friends and colleagues to dig up details of events which happened between 10 and 20 years ago. The Today programme have failed to interview any of these people who give a contemporary account of events, they have tried and failed to substantiate my involvement in this case when I was leader. I felt this was becoming a concerted campaign against me, which is why I wrote a letter, I did not publish, to the BBC in September. I am taken aback that the Today programme has chosen to make a letter which was not for publication, public. I have decided not to appear on the Today Programme today as there is nothing new to say and nothing more that I can add. I am getting on with the important job I have been given, to create a better future for all our children and I have been encouraged by the support and commitment of the professionals with whom I work." To provide integrated leadership and responsibility for children's services and family policy across Whitehall, in June 2003 then Prime Minister Tony Blair appointed Margaret Hodge as the first Minister of State for Children in the Department for Education and Skills. Aware of the furore over this appointment, Tony Blair was forced to keep his new Minister for Children well away from the launch of his policy designed to protect children from debacles such as the killing of Victoria Climbié. Yet despite having to go to such embarrassing lengths, he made feeble excuses on her behalf but still kept her in office. WHY? Lets look at Margaret Hodges husband Sir Hendry Hodge? SEX ATTACKER STAYS BECAUSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS Daily Express By John Chapman Wednesday October 31,2007 A JUDGE yesterday vetoed the deportation of a serial sex attacker because it would breach his human right to a family life. The decision by immigration judge Sir Henry Hodge caused a storm of protest last night – led by the victim of one attack. He admitted indecently assaulting 11 women in the past five years and has committed a string of other offences including robbery, burglary, arson and drugs. But Sir Henry – husband of Labour minister Margaret Hodge – ruled that Kendeh should be allowed to stay because he came to the UK at the age of six and has almost no family left in West Africa. To support his decision, he cited article eight of the Human Rights Act, which gives a person the right to a family life. Full article... Related Articles: Victims of child abuse accuse Hodge Independent November 13, 2003 Read Article... Minister tries to halt Today investigation Guardian UK November 11, 2003 Read Article... Paedophile Investigation BBC - Radio 4 - November 11 2003 Read Article... Real Fathers For Justice October 2007 Video from You Tube Two activists from the campaign group Real Fathers For Justice (RFFJ), scaled a building directly opposite the Minshull Street Crown Courts in Manchester in protest against the treatment of the two campaigners who are on trial nearly 3 years later for the handcuffing of MP Margaret Hodge, back in November 2004, both faced trial by jury for false imprisonment which can carry a life sentence the court case lasted 3 weeks costing the tax payer £500,000. Jason Hatch, 35, and Jonathan Stanesby, 41, ambushed the MP at a family law conference in Salford in November 2004. Mr Stanesby handcuffed himself to Mrs Hodge's wrist in a 'citizen's arrest'. He confronted her with accusations that she had ignored warnings about a children's home paedophile ring while a council leader in North London in the 1970s and 1980s. Handcuff protesters cleared Manchester Evening News Read Article... |
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