A survivor of abuse at the hands of the late Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed said being placed on mute in a virtual meeting with Sir Keir Starmer “felt really awful”.
She added that the meeting did not leave her feeling like “any concrete action” would be taken.
More than 400 allegations of sexual misconduct have been made against Al Fayed, dating between 1977 and 2014, including rape and human trafficking.
The Metropolitan Police are investigating claims made by at least 155 victims who contacted them directly and are looking at people who may have facilitated or enabled Al Fayed’s crimes.
The Prime Minister met with around 200 survivors on an online video call earlier this month as part of a greater push for justice and accountability.
A Downing Street spokesperson said the meeting took place online “to ensure all survivors could take part”.
Justine, a pseudonym, told the Press Association that the meeting was “momentous”, but because it was virtual, it “was like watching him on TV”.
She added that all the survivors were placed on mute and that they did not have the opportunity to speak to Sir Keir directly.
Instead, they pre-submitted questions that were then grouped together in themes and asked by facilitators from the The Survivors Trust.
Justine said this meant their questions were “softened” and that “the edges were taken off”, adding: “The thrust of the question was lost and it was all very watered down”.
She told PA: “We were all placed on mute, which felt really awful, and it was just online, it was like watching him on TV. I don’t feel like I’ve met him.”
Justine added: “It was momentous in the sense that apparently he’s never met with one set of survivors from one system of abuse like this, so it was a big thing from that point of view and just meeting him was a big thing in itself.
“But I didn’t come away feeling that there were any concrete action points that were really going to move the dial and change things significantly.
“He said it’s the beginning and the start of the conversation, but we want action.”
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister met survivors of Mohamed Fayed, paid tribute to their courage, and made clear he stands with them in their fight for justice.
“With hundreds coming forward, including from overseas, the meeting was held online to ensure all survivors could take part.
“We are clear that this is the beginning, not the end, of working with survivors to secure the justice they deserve.”
Justine said that she had wanted a commitment from Sir Keir about oversight of the Met investigation.
She and others from the survivor-led collective No One Above are calling for the National Crime Agency (NCA) to set up a joint investigation team (Jit) to run in parallel to the Met’s work and have oversight of it.
They argue that this would help uncover the international scope of the trafficking and add an extra layer of accountability and transparency amid concerns about the Met’s conduct in this case.
However, the question about this oversight that was submitted in advance “wasn’t really asked”, Justine said.
Following the meeting between survivors and the Prime Minister, co-chairwoman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Survivors of Fayed and Harrods, Wendy Chamberlain, asked safeguarding minister Natalie Fleet in the House of Commons about NCA oversight of the Met investigation.
Responding, Ms Fleet said: “Where there is evidence of criminal activity, it is the police’s duty to investigate and it would not be appropriate for me to comment on the specifics.
“My job and the role of the Government are to support the police to ensure that justice is delivered as swiftly as possible, and I am absolutely committed to that.”
The Met’s investigation, known as Operation Cornpoppy, has interviewed just four people since it launched 19 months ago.
Meanwhile, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating one current and four former Met police officers for potential misconduct relating to the handling of allegations against Al Fayed, who died in 2023 aged 94.
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