If the McCanns were not interviewed, prior to the scoping excercise being allowed, it was not for the want of the opportunity to do so.
I cannot see two two Home Secretaries risking their political credibility by acceding to progressing it unless they were very sure of their ground. The only way to take that precaution would be if the police recommended it and the only surety the police could have to do so would be after checking the McCanns out ... to do that would require they were interviewed. imo
Home Office launches secret review into Madeleine McCann's disappearance
The Home Office has secretly begun a review that could lead to a fresh police inquiry into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
By Robert Mendick9:00PM GMT 06 Mar 2010
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Kate and Gerry McCann met with Mr Johnson last year to plead for help in their search for Madeleine, who vanished without trace in May 2007 from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal.
The couple have also met with John Yates, the Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner, who has headed up a number of high profile inquiries in recent years.
He is said to be "sympathetic" and to have made "general offers of assistance".
The source said:
"The latest we have heard from the Home Office is officials are undertaking a 'scoping exercise' to look into the possibility of a review of the case.
"They are looking at all the options. It is basically a feasibility study.
"Kate and Gerry met with Alan Johnson to request a review is done. Hopefully any political intervention can unlock obstructions that might be in the way."
** **
A Home Office spokesman said: "We can confirm that the Home Secretary had a private meeting with Kate and Gerry McCann.
"Leicestershire Police stand ready to co-ordinate and complete enquiries if further information comes to light in the UK; or if requested to do so by the Portuguese authorities, who continue to lead on the overall investigation."
The spokesman refused to discuss what talks took place at the meeting or whether there was the chance of a review of the evidence at Interpol.
The spokesman added: "We are not going to comment on the outcome of any private meeting with the McCanns."
Mr Yates was unavailable for comment.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/madeleinemccann/7384911/Home-Office-launches-secret-review-into-Madeleine-McCanns-disappearance.html
I can see no reason to assume that the McCanns were 'checked out' before the scoping exercise was commissioned. The impression I get is that the Home Office were lobbied relentlessly by the McCanns to carry out a review. Although they seemed generally sympathetic, as did the Met, the scoping exercise was their answer, and they didn't act after they received it.
Kate tells us in her book;
A year after our request for a review of Madeleine's case, Alan Johnson, the second home secretary we had met, commissioned CEOP to undertake a ‘scoping’ exercise – basically to establish whether they felt a review may be of benefit. Their report has been with the Home Office since March 2010
We have since met the current home secretary, Theresa May, and written to her several times. Currently we do not know whether we are any further forward, or whether the British government has even raised the suggestion of a review with the Portuguese authorities
Madeleine Page 383
Kate also tells us why they wanted a review;
Our own search, however, has significant limitations. Crucially, we do not have access to all of the information that has come in to the inquiry. The Portuguese authorities possess a great deal of material that was not included in the police file released into the public domain. The British police, too, hold information we do not have. The more data we can acquire, the more complete the picture will be and the stronger our chances of finding our daughter.
If a review is declined, or indeed if no decision is ever made, we will be left with no alternative but to seek disclosure of all information possessed by the authorities relating to Madeleine’s disappearance.Madeleine Page 384
They had tried to get the information from Leicestershire Police previously, of course, and were sent away with a flea in their ear;
‘While one or both of them may be innocent, there is no clear evidence that eliminates them from involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance.’
Madeleine Page 331
I wonder why they thought it might work if they tried again?
