West Midlands MP Watson: Paedophile inquiry must be national

Tom Watson first raised claims of a 'paedophile ring' in Westminster two years ago during Prime Minister's Questions.

But the Labour MP for West Bromwich East says new allegations - including claims of the rape and murder of young boys by a network of VIP paedophiles - go far beyond what he originally spoke of.

Allegations have come from all over the country of abuse.

He told the Express & Star: "I'm concerned that if we end up with multiple police investigations evidence could slip through the net.

"The latest allegations I have heard are far greater and very different to the question I first asked more than two years ago.

"These are even darker and more sinister."

Over the weekend detectives examining allegations of historic sex abuse with links to government have launched a new investigation into 'possible homicide'.

Scotland Yard said Operation Midland was started after officers working on Operation Fairbank, which is looking into claims of 'serious non-recent sexual abuse', were given information about alleged murders.

Writing on his website Mr Watson said: "The allegations of cruelty, torture and murder are truly shocking.

"The public will be deeply concerned which is why it is vital the police quickly establish the facts. It's such a disturbing allegation that I have no doubt the resources will be found to conduct a thorough investigation.

"If true, this is a vital piece of the jigsaw in the pursuit of organised child abuse.

"We are at the point where the government should consider a national police inquiry made up of specialists from around the country. It is unfair to ask the police in London alone to investigate alleged crimes that took place in many regions of the UK. I am writing to the Prime Minister to make this request."

Operation Fairbank was launched in response to information passed on by Mr Watson, who used Prime Minister's Questions in 2012 to air claims that there was a paedophile ring with links to Number 10.

Mr Watson used parliamentary privilege to allege that a file of evidence used to convict Peter Righton of importing child pornography in 1992 contained 'clear intelligence'' of a sex abuse gang.

He wrote to Scotland Yard, which has since spawned two more inquiries from Fairbank - Fernbridge, which is looking at claims linked to the Elm Guest House in Barnes, south west London, in the 1980s, and Cayacos.

In August, Scotland Yard said it had tripled the number of officers investigating the allegations of sex abuse in the wake of the claims of a Westminster cover-up.

Mr Watson said he was satisfied that Home Secretary Theresa May was trying to get to the truth despite embarrassing setbacks as two women appointed to chair a wide-ranging inquiry were forced to quit amid concerns over their suitability.

Retired judge Baroness Butler-Sloss stood down as head of the inquiry in July, saying she was 'not the right person' to do it.

It came after child abuse victims were concerned because she is the sister of the Sir Michael Havers, who was attorney-general in the 1980s when abuse is alleged to have happened.

Her replacement Fiona Woolf then stood down because of concerns over her social links to ex-Home Secretary Lord Brittan.