Lynne Featherstone

This week was the special Haringey Council meeting called by the Lib Dems to debate the findings from Ed Ball's 'urgent investigation' into Haringey following the death of Baby P.

It saw an astonishing outburst from the person we all saw apologise (finally) on behalf of the Labour Council - Liz Santry - Labour Member for Children's Services as was. With the media's attention having moved on, at this meeting I am told she lashed out blaming others. But that's it you know - that's the real issue in Haringey - that Labour always turn it all around and instead of really looking at what's gone wrong, they simply rebut, deny, blame others. When will they ever learn?

What also is interesting, is that my Lib Dem colleagues on Haringey Council have called for all services to be re-inspected. This is because of the comments from Ofsted, in the form of Christine Gilbert, that they were 'misled' by Haringey officials when they did their inspection. If people misled one batch of inspectors, what are the chances that other inspectors carrying out other inspections were misled too?

There have been thirteen separate inspections over the last few years including the Audit Commission's Comprehensive Performance Assessment in October 2006, the Commission for Social Care Inspection inquiry received as recently at 28th November this year and an Audit Commission report of the Council's housing service.

There has to be now real doubt over the accuracy of these inspections - and so the call for re-inspections. Needles to say - Labour refused! As I said - when will they ever learn!