Ellie Goulding and Carrie Johnson join The Gazette in calling for national inquiry into Preston Davey failings

Music icon and campaigner Ellie Goulding is just one of the high profile celebrities who has backed The Gazette’s call for a public inquiry into the death of little Preston Davey.

The ‘Starry Eyed’ singer, who has sold more than 27 million albums and 216 million singles worldwide and accumulated 43 billion streams, is ranked among the best-selling British female artists of the 21st century.

Ellie has signed the ‘Preston Davey deserved better, call for a national inquiry’ petition set up by The Gazette, sister title the Lancashire Post and backed by Blackpool MP Chris Webb.

She has added her voice to more than 60,000 others demanding answers about how a little boy could so catastrophically be failed by the safeguarding procedures designed to protect him.

Ellie has lent her support alongside fellow campaigner Carrie Johnson, wife of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, Chair of the Board at Refuge, England’s largest specialist domestic abuse service provider. Hetti is widely recognised for her work in supporting victims of domestic abuse, receiving a CBE in the 2024 New Year Honours and a Pride of Britain Award in 2024.

As well as signing the petition all three prominent figures have shared Preston’s tragic story in a bid to encourage Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to agree to a national inquiry into the safeguarding failures that cost a ‘happy and bubbly’ baby boy his life.

Blackpool MP Chris Webb has also raised the matter directly with No.10 and personally asked the Prime Minister to establish a public inquiry.

Ellie Goulding and Carrie Johnson said: “As mothers of young children, we were horrified by the tragic death of little Preston Davey at the hands of those who were supposed to love and protect him.

“The details of his case are deeply distressing, not least because so many opportunities to intervene appear to have been missed.

“Serious questions remain about how this could have happened and whether similar failings are occurring elsewhere. That’s why we have signed this petition for a public national inquiry.”

Preston Davey was just 13-months-old when he was murdered by the man who was in the process of adopting him. The man he came to know as ‘dad’.

In less than four months, little Preston was sexually assaulted, physically and emotionally abused, and left with 40 non-accidental injuries. He was taken to hospital three times. Social workers visited regularly. His abusers even admitted to having dark thoughts about him. And still, nothing stopped it.

Ex-South Shore Academy teacher Jamie Varley, 37, was given a whole life sentence for murder, child cruelty, sexual offences and indecent images relating to Preston. His now ex-partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was jailed for 25 years for allowing the death of a child, child cruelty and sexual assault.

Preston was taken into care by Oldham Council and placed for adption by regional adoption agency Adoption Now. Blackpool’s children’s services have no involvement in his safeguarding.

But the question that has to be asked - and answered - is how a baby boy in the care of the state could be so badly let down by every system designed to protect him.

Preston Davey deserved better.

The Blackpool Gazette, and the Lancashire Post, backed by Blackpool South MP Chris Webb are leading calls to the government to launch a national inquiry.

Chris Webb, Blackpool South MP said: “The public response to baby Preston’s case has been extraordinary and reflects the strength of feeling among a community, which is devastated by the loss of this little boy in such tragic circumstances.

“More than 60,000 people have now signed the petition calling for an inquiry and campaigners, charities, fellow MPs and high-profile supporters from across the country have joined those calls.

“Together we are now formally writing to the Prime Minister to demand action.

“I have already raised the matter directly with No.10 and personally asked the Prime Minister to establish a public inquiry into the safeguarding failures surrounding Preston's death.

“I have also requested a meeting to discuss the case further.

"This campaign is about serious questions that remain unanswered about how Preston was so catastrophically failed by systems that existed to protect him.

“Preston deserved better, his family deserve answers and every vulnerable child in this country needs lessons to be learnt from this tragedy.

“I will continue working with the Blackpool Gazette, campaigners and supporters across the country until that happens."

Vanessa Sims, editor of the Blackpool Gazette said: “We have been completely overwhelmed by the support the campaign has received.

“As a community we have a duty to fight for Preston Davey as well as ensure we protect every child that comes after Preston.

“A national inquiry is not about blame but about ensuring lessons are learnt.”

Preston Davey’s birth parents Sarah Davey and Gary Nolan have also backed the campaign.

What is the petition calling for?

The petition is calling on a nation inquiry to answer the following questions:

- Why were repeated warning signs - three hospital admissions, an abuser's own admission of dark thoughts, routine social worker contact - not acted on?

- Should children placed outside their home authority automatically be assigned a local social worker with direct oversight of their care?

- How are repeat hospital admissions for children in care shared between the NHS, the placing authority, and the authority where the child lives?

- Are adoption vetting procedures rigorous enough to stop prospective adopters hiding behind a false front?

We need you to sign this petition and demand the government acts.

Join our calls for a public inquiry by signing our change.org petition here