Balls to await report before he takes action

CHILDREN'S Secretary Ed Balls today refused to say whether anyone at Haringey council should lose their jobs over the Baby P scandal.

He would not condemn head of children's services, Sharon Shoesmith, for failing to apologise for the toddler's death but said he would wait for the results of a new inquiry before deciding what action to take.

Mr Balls said: "I've sent in the national inspectors to do a report in the next two weeks on what's happened and what needs to be done.

"It's appalling what happened and I'm sure all of us are so sorry for what has happened to this poor little boy. But I'm not going to start commenting on what was said at a press conference by local government officials."

Speaking on the radio, Mr Balls added: "It's really hard to get the social workers, police and health service to work closely together for every child and see the world through the child's eyes.

"We put reforms in place around the country [after Victoria Climbié's death] and I've asked Lord Laming, with the Children's Minister, to see if they have been systematically implemented.

"But in Haringey there are some particular issues. We will now look in Haringey in detail in the next two weeks and decide whether we need to act."

He also criticised the Tory leader, David Cameron, for "errors" during exchanges at Prime Minister's questions and for trying to make the tragedy a "party political issue". Mr Balls said it was not right to "grandstand at Prime Minister's questions" and urged politicians to "get party politics out of child protection".