Labour MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan has renewed her support for women seeking justice over abuse perpetrated by the late Mohamed Al Fayed, marking two years since a BBC investigation exposed allegations of rape and sexual assault at Harrods.
The BBC documentary Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods, broadcast in September 2024, featured testimony from more than 20 former employees who said they had been sexually assaulted or raped by the former Harrods owner. Five women initially told the BBC they had been raped.
Allin-Khan said:
“Today marks two years since a BBC documentary unmasked historic abuse at Harrods perpetrated by Mohamed Al-Fayed.”
She added:
“Since then, those affected have been campaigning for justice. I am proud to stand with them and support their calls for accountability.”
Hundreds of allegations have since emerged
The scale of the allegations has widened substantially since the documentary first aired.
Hundreds of women have now accused Al Fayed of rape, sexual assault or trafficking, while the Metropolitan Police has been investigating more than 400 allegations.
At least five women have also been formally recognised by the Home Office as victims of modern slavery, including cases involving trafficking both internationally and within the UK.
The BBC’s original investigation also gathered evidence suggesting that, during Al Fayed’s ownership, Harrods failed to intervene and helped suppress allegations. Harrods’ current owners have said they were appalled by what happened and have apologised to those affected.
Questions over accountability continue
Two years on, survivors and their lawyers continue to press for accountability not only for Al Fayed’s actions but also for those who may have enabled or failed to stop the abuse.
The issue has remained under intense scrutiny from police, lawyers and campaigners, with survivors calling for a fuller examination of the institutional failures that allowed the alleged abuse to continue over many years.
Harrods has established a compensation scheme and set aside tens of millions of pounds for claims. The Guardian reported this week that £4.1 million had so far been paid to 113 survivors, while legal claims against Harrods and Al Fayed’s estate could ultimately run into hundreds of millions of pounds.
Allin-Khan stands with survivors
Allin-Khan’s intervention reflects continuing parliamentary concern over whether survivors have received justice and whether institutions that failed them have been properly held to account.
The Tooting MP has said she is proud to stand alongside those affected as they continue campaigning for answers and accountability.
Two years after the BBC investigation transformed public understanding of the allegations surrounding Al Fayed, the focus has shifted from exposure to accountability — for survivors, for institutions and for anyone found to have enabled abuse or failed to act.
