Officials put the brakes on investigating a Labour councillor who was accused of being a paedophile in order to help the party during the 2015 General Election campaign, an independent inquiry has concluded. A child protection expert’s report – seen by the Manchester Evening News – finds that two Bury Council officers acted under either “direct political influence” to downplay the allegations against the councillor, or “the mistaken belief by senior officers that they needed to be seen to be doing their best to protect members of the Labour group from any political embarrassment at a sensitive time“. After the election the councillor, Simon Carter, was convicted of downloading sexual images of children…

The report is one of a number of probes into the scandal which has engulfed Labour in Manchester. Last month the Council’s Chief Executive Mike Owen resigned before a disciplinary could be completed; it is alleged he admitted stalling child protection procedures in “a favour” for Labour (he has denied this). The council’s director of children’s services Mark Carrilin also resigned after being found guilty of serious misconduct. Just last night it emerged that Labour has suspended Mike Connolly, the elected former leader of Bury Council, from the party. This Labour scandal continues to unravel…