Lord Janner's son: Westminster sex abuse inquiry 'based on tittle tattle'

The inquiry into historical sex abuse claims against politicians is based on "tittle tattle" and "rumour" and should be shut down, according to the son of one of the accused.

Former Labour peer Lord Janner died in 2015 shortly after being found unfit to stand trial over historical sex offences.

As the Westminster strand of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) began on Monday, his son Daniel Janner QC told Sky News it was "a trashing of good people" and "a disgrace".

He said: "This is another sad chapter in this beleaguered inquiry because what is happening here - let there be no mistake about this - is a trashing of good people, people who were never convicted of offences, such as my late father, Lord Brittan and Edward Heath.

"[It] is based on tittle tattle, it's based on rumour and this whole thing should be shut down. It's a disgrace."

He added that the inquiry had turned into a witch-hunt and will undermine genuine victims.

A limited trial without Lord Janner, who died aged 87 after suffering from severe dementia, had been scheduled. The allegations against him will be dealt with in a separate part of the inquiry.

The IICSA was set up in 2014 in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal and amid rumours of a historic Westminster paedophile ring.

It is examining allegations of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including claims powerful figures connected to parliament were involved.

Child abuse inquiry: Victims must be offered more legal support

An independent inquiry also recommends better training for senior police officers in dealing with cases.

Senior politicians, representatives of MI5, the Metropolitan Police and the Independent Office for Police Conduct will give evidence during the three weeks of public hearings.

Part of the inquiry's remit will include looking into whether political parties turned a blind eye to the claims and whether a cover-up was attempted.

In response to Mr Janner, an IICSA spokeswoman told Sky News that the focus of the inquiry was "the conduct of institutions as opposed to that of individuals".

She added: "The function of this investigation is to inquire into the way in which Westminster institutions responded - or, perhaps, failed to respond - to allegations of child sexual abuse."

The IICSA has previously emphasised that allegations against those accused of wrongdoing are not necessarily true