AN MP is calling for Cumbria's acting chief constable Michelle Skeer to step down because of her handling of the Poppi Worthington case.

Barrow MP John Woodcock was speaking in a Parliamentary debate into the death of 13-month-old Poppi, from Barrow, in December 2012 following an alleged serious sexual assault by her father Paul.

He revealed that Mr Worthington had twice previously been questioned by police over child sex abuse allegations, yet it took officers eight months to question him over the death of his daughter.

The Labour MP said: “Critical evidence had been lost or was never gathered by police.” Mr Worthington was not prosecuted.

Mr Woodcock was openly critical of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) for failing to make public its report into Cumbria Constabulary's handling of the case, handed to the force a year ago.

And he said that Cumbria's Police and Crime Commissioner, Richard Rhodes, should have been given a copy before he made the decision to appoint Mrs Skeer as acting chief constable in December.

Mr Woodcock said: “We are told that lessons have been learned by the force but we cannot judge because we're not able to see the IPCC report. 

“We don't know whether those responsible have been held properly accountable and new systems have been put in place to stop it happening again.”

But because the report had been leaked to the BBC, he knew that Mrs Skeer was named and criticised for her actions in the case.

He added: “The continuation in post of Michelle Skeer as acting chief constable is unsustainable and to the detriment to restoring confidence in the police.”

Mr Woodcock also revealed that lawyers for Cumbria County Council had tried to secure a 15-year ban on disclosure of the case, on the grounds that “disclosure of alleged shortcomings might be unfair to the agencies involved”.

Responding for the Government, Home Office Minister Karen Bradley agreed that the Mr Rhodes should have had sight of the IPCC report.

But she said it would not be made public while the Crown Prosecution Service was considering whether to prosecute Poppi's father, and until a second inquest into the baby's death – due to start next month, possibly before a jury – was complete, for fear of prejudicing proceedings.

She added: “I also want to see justice served and the truth established. It's important that we don't inadvertently prevent that from being done.”