Carrie Johnson, wife of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, alongside singer Ellie Goulding and Oscar-winning actress Olivia Colman, are among a group of prominent mothers who have written to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. They are calling for a national public inquiry into what they describe as a "catastrophic failure" to protect 13-month-old Preston Davey, who was murdered by his adoptive father, Jamie Varley.
respaldo a petition signed by nearly 100,000 people, the signatories are requesting a "thorough and transparent" probe into a series of "heartbreaking" missed opportunities to save the toddler. Varley, a 37-year-old teacher, was sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing and murdering Preston. His partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, received a 25-year sentence for allowing Preston's death and participating in sexual assaults on the infant.
Preston was taken from his birth mother, who has a previous murder conviction, at five days old. Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley presented themselves as devoted parents, but court evidence revealed at least eight instances where Preston was not adequately protected in the weeks before his death. He was taken to the hospital three times, including for suspicious bruises and a broken elbow. Varley also confided in a colleague about having "dark thoughts" of harming the child.
Despite being seen by various professionals and police involvement, no alarm was raised before Varley murdered Preston on July 27, 2023. A local safeguarding review is underway, but the campaigners argue that only a national inquiry with the power to compel witnesses can address concerns about nationwide weaknesses in child protection.
Key Concerns Raised
Campaigners are particularly concerned about the apparent lack of involvement from Blackpool social services in monitoring Preston, despite him being in the care of social services in Oldham, nearly 50 miles away. They also want the inquiry to examine adoption vetting procedures and the sharing of information between authorities regarding repeated hospital admissions of children in care.
In their letter, the signatories stated, "The question that confronts us now is simple: how could this happen?" They are urging the Prime Minister to establish "a full, statutory national public inquiry into Preston's death and the wider safeguarding failures it may have exposed across the country." They emphasized that Preston's death should not be followed by mere expressions of regret and promises of lessons learned without meaningful change.
Paula Hudgell, adoptive mother of Tony Hudgell, who suffered severe abuse as a baby, added her voice, stating, "As the adoptive mother of a child who suffered horrific abuse, I have seen first-hand the devastating consequences when vulnerable children are failed by the very systems meant to protect them. We need a statutory national public inquiry to establish whether the failings exposed by Preston's death exist elsewhere and to ensure the lasting changes needed to better protect vulnerable children."
Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott, also a signatory, commented that Preston was "failed by every safeguard that should have protected him," adding that "lessons must be learned properly and no child should ever be let down in this way again."
The petition was initiated by the Blackpool Gazette, with support from local MP Chris Webb and Preston's birth parents. Mr. Webb confirmed that the Prime Minister has agreed to discuss the matter with him.
A government spokesperson stated that the government has "brought in the most far-reaching child protection reforms in a generation" and introduced a new Child Protection Authority. They added that an independent review has been commissioned by local authorities and will be supported by the independent national Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel.
