THOUSANDS of people have signed the Evening Mail's #justiceforpoppi campaign calling for an independent inquiry into the death of the 13-month-old from Barrow.

Add your name to our #justiceforpoppi government petition here


FAILED: Poppi Iris Worthington, died at the age of 13 months on December 12, 2012 The petition has attracted attention across social media and throughout the UK, with almost 3,000 adding their signatures within the first 24 hours. 

Meanwhile, Barrow MP John Woodcock has said a second police force should take over the investigation into the death of toddler Poppi Worthington in an attempt to "salvage some prospect of justice". 

Former shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper also insisted there is no need to wait for the outcome of the second inquest into her death. 

She joined Mr Woodcock in calling for the police investigation to continue under the lead of an outside force. 

Mr Woodcock urged ministers to order a thorough independent investigation similar to those conducted into the deaths of Peter Connelly, known as Baby P, and Victoria Climbie.

Poppi's dad, Paul Worthington was found to have sexually assaulted his 13-month-old daughter. 

High Court family judge Mr Justice Peter Jackson ruled that the 48-year-old - on the balance of probabilities - "perpetrated a penetrative ... assault" on Poppi. But he will not face criminal action unless new evidence comes to light.

Poppi collapsed with serious injuries at her home in Barrow on December 12, 2012 and was rushed to hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Cumbria Police have been criticised for their handling of the case. 

Speaking in the Commons, Mr Woodcock told Home Office Minister Karen Bradley: "The combined failure of several agencies is every bit as serious as those which contributed to the deaths of Victoria Climbie and of Baby Peter in Haringey. 

"Will the Government make clear that it values Poppi's life as greatly by ordering now a similarly thorough independent investigation into how the failings happened? 

"Will they, as the second inquest is continuing, a separate force to come in and take over the investigation into Poppi Worthington's death to try to salvage some prospect of justice for her life?" 

Labour's Ms Cooper added to Ms Bradley: "Can I urge you to keep pursuing this case yourself and not to be deterred by the process that is taking place, and also particularly to clarify what is the situation about the police investigation now because surely we don't need to wait for the inquest for police investigation to be continuing? 

"The (Independent Police Complaints Commission) is, I understand it, just verifying whether the police previously did the right job or not. 

"What we need is a police investigation now into this individual case and could that be done by an alternative police force?" 

Opening her reply to an urgent question on the case, Ms Bradley said the IPCC has investigated Cumbria Police's handling of the original investigation. 

She said: "The IPCC report is completed but cannot be released yet so as not to prejudice the second inquest." 

Ms Bradley added: "This Government is committed to tackling child sexual abuse but I know that's of little consolation to the family of Poppi Worthington." 

Mr Woodcock outlined his questions for an inquiry and the continuation of the police investigation involving a new force. He added: "And what will the Government do to ensure the safety of the Worthington children and all of the children in the community in Barrow, given that Paul Worthington is still walking free?" 

Ms Bradley said there was an investigation by Ofsted in 2015 into Cumbria social services, which found it was "inadequate". 

She added: "The Department for Education is currently in the process of intervention into Cumbrian social services to ensure that child social services are properly working in Cumbria and that all children in Cumbria have the support and the protection that they so rightly need. 

"We do need to learn lessons from this case but we need to wait for that second inquest. 

"The Attorney General has granted that second inquest and until that inquest is completed we will not have the full facts. 

"You will also know that, in order for the case to be reopened, new evidence will need to come to light, which may or may not be the case depending on the IPCC inquiry and also the second inquest. 

"But this is an operational matter which I as the minister will not be able to intervene on." 

In response to Ms Cooper's questions, Ms Bradley insisted she will "get to the bottom" of Poppi's death and learn all lessons. 

She said: "We owe it to Poppi Worthington; we owe it to all other children in that situation." 

Ms Bradley reiterated that there would need to be fresh evidence for a new police investigation but offered to write to Ms Cooper to provide more information when she receives it.