MP who blew whistle on paedophile met with complaint...against her

A WHISTLEBLOWER MP and county councillor has accused the authority’s “activist” staff of putting diversity and inclusion above children’s safeguarding.

- By Steph Spyro and Josephine Bartosch

Tory Rebecca Paul said she reported a “deeply concerning photo” of now convicted paedophile Stephen Ireland with a child to Surrey County Council protection chiefs and police in 2023.

But her alarm about the 2021 photo allegedly resulted in an informal complaint against her by county council officers.

Ms Paul also said she was moved off her role on the equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) portfolio about two weeks after she first voiced concerns.

She had urged senior council officers not to allocate any further funds to Pride in Surrey, co-founded by Ireland, while he was investigated.

But a freedom of information request shared online appeared to show the organisation continued to receive cash.