Sexism claim by sacked Baby P boss has ‘no hope’

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Ms Shoesmith lost her £130,000-a-year job at Haringey in the furore over the council's failure to protect Baby P.

Experts believe she could win more than £1 million if her unlawful dismissal and sex discrimination claims against the council succeed.

Her case, lodged at Watford employment tribunal, is said to claim that "she was treated less favourably by the council than a man would have been in similar circumstances in that she was summarily dismissed from her job without compensation whereas a man would not have been so dismissed".

She alleges she was made the "scapegoat" after Baby P died following months of abuse by his mother, her boyfriend and their lodger. He had been seen 60 times by professionals responsible for child safety.

John Quigley, head of employment law at William Sturges Solicitors, said Ms Shoesmith, 55, could win "huge damages". But unless new information comes to light, her sex discrimination claim has "no real chance". He said: "As a claimant, you haven't anything to lose by putting in the claim – it is a chip one can bargain with," he said.

"But the trouble with her claiming discrimination is that everyone knows the reason why she was dismissed. I can't see how it could possibly be anything to do with her being a woman."

Haringey council said it would contest Ms Shoesmith's claims "vigorously".