Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet victims of former Harrods department store owner Mohamed Al-Fayed today as the scale of allegations against the late businessman continues to grow. More than 400 allegations of misconduct have been made against Al-Fayed dating back to 1977.
Survivors are calling for greater accountability over what they have described as decades of institutional rape and sexual abuse associated with the iconic London department store. The meeting represents the highest-level government engagement with the case to date.
An independent police investigation was launched last month into five current and former serving officers for potential misconduct related to the handling of allegations against Al-Fayed. The investigation raises serious questions about whether police failed to act on complaints over many years.
Mohamed Al-Fayed died in 2023 and was never charged with any criminal offence during his lifetime despite numerous complaints being made to police. The case has prompted widespread criticism of institutional failures that allowed the alleged abuse to continue for decades.
The meeting comes at a particularly challenging time for the Prime Minister who is also dealing with the fallout from the Henry Novak policing controversy and questions about his use of disappearing messages on WhatsApp. Files released earlier this week revealed senior ministers admitting frustrations with his leadership.
The Al-Fayed case has become one of the most significant institutional abuse scandals in British history, comparable in scale to other high-profile cases. Victims have waited years for acknowledgement and accountability from both the government and law enforcement.
The Prime Minister's decision to meet survivors directly signals the government's recognition of the gravity of the case. Victims' groups are pressing for comprehensive reforms to prevent powerful individuals from using their positions to evade accountability for abuse.