Lord Brittan’s widow criticised Scotland Yard this week as she opened up about the force’s high-profile investigation into bogus sexual abuse claims levelled against her late husband.

Lord Brittan, who died of cancer in 2015, was among several public figures whose reputations were tarred with false allegations concocted by fantasist Carl Beech.

The former home secretary’s accuser claimed he fell victim to a Westminster pedophile ring and is currently serving 18 years in prison for perverting the course of justice and fraud.

The Metropolitan Police’s £2 million inquiry, known as Operation Midland, was launched in 2014 and wound up 18 months later without a single arrest. 

A review commissioned by the police force later found a litany of mistakes committed during the investigation.

Speaking to the Daily Mail this week, Lady Brittan, 80, said: “Not a single person in this case has resigned, lost their job, been fired, demoted or disciplined. Nobody whatsoever.

“There has been a little bit of hand-wringing which does not amount to a row of beans. If, in a case like this, accountability does not involve firings or resignations at the point of responsibility, what then is accountability?”