MP seeks review in Shannon case

9:27am Friday 5th December 2008

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Dewsbury MP and government minister Shahid Malik called for an independent review into the contacts social services had with Shannon Matthews prior to her disappearance in February.

Mr Malik said the review was needed to ensure any lessons were learned from the case but stressed he was not looking for scapegoats or someone to blame.

He was speaking as close scrutiny continued of the role of social workers in Shannon's family.

Mr Malik said: "My gut instinct is that this is not a case like Baby P. But the truth is that we don't know what this actually is. I think the sensible thing is to have an independent review."

Shannon's mother Karen Matthews, 33, was condemned by police as "pure evil" after she was convicted of her daughter's kidnap alongside her co-accused Michael Donovan.

A judge told her she faced a substantial jail sentence.