London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Mar 30, 2026

Katrice Lee's dad angry over Boris Johnson Hartlepool meeting

Katrice Lee's dad angry over Boris Johnson Hartlepool meeting

The father of a girl who went missing in Germany 40 years ago says he feels "bitterly let down" after a meeting with Boris Johnson was sprung on him.

Richard Lee said he had hoped to meet the prime minister in Downing Street but was "devastated" after a surprise meeting on Monday.

He said he was told about the meeting minutes before and was not prepared.

Katrice Lee vanished on her second birthday in 1981, near a British military base in Germany.

Mr Lee believes his daughter was abducted and the case has been raised again in recent months in the House of Commons.

In November Mr Johnson said he would meet Mr Lee "father to father" and it was hoped the meeting would take place in Downing Street.

However, a previous date for a meeting at Downing Street in March was cancelled due to the situation in Ukraine.

A planned meeting between Mr Lee and Margaret Thatcher in 1982 was also cancelled because of the Falklands War.

Mr Lee said he received a phone call "out of the blue" last week asking him to take his file on Katrice's disappearance on Monday afternoon to the Hartlepool office of local Conservative MP Jill Mortimer to discuss "a few points on the case".


'Angry and upset'


Mr Lee said: "When I arrived I was taken to a conference room where I put my file on the table, ready to clarify a few points and it was then I was told I was meeting the PM in a few minutes.

"To say I was angry and upset is an understatement, I've been fighting for a meeting with a British prime minister for 40 years and I was infuriated it was happening with no notice.

"I had a presentation ready, but it was at home on the kitchen table - luckily I had a copy on my phone."

Probes by Royal Military Police have been unable to determine what happened to Katrice Lee


Katrice had been with her mother Sharon, from Gosport, at a Naafi supermarket in Paderborn in November 1981 when she disappeared.

The Royal Military Police has previously apologised for failings in its investigations, which included delays in interviewing key witnesses and not releasing a photofit of a suspect for 36 years.

Mr Lee said he discussed the case with Mr Johnson for about 15 to 20 minutes and asked for an independent inquiry into how his daughter's disappearance was handled.

He also called for the case to be handed to civilian police and for the government to pledge £1m to the charity Missing People, which helps families trace loved ones who disappear overseas.

Mr Lee said: "I walked out of the office after the PM had looked across at Jill Mortimer and said he could probably help with one of the points, but I can't remember which one as I was so angry.

"I'm annoyed we live in a country where we have freedom of speech and freedom of choice, but both of those things were taken away from me on Monday."

Mr Lee added he was waiting for the prime minister to get back in touch following the meeting.

Both Mr Johnson's and Ms Mortimer's offices have been approached for comment.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Russia Expels British Diplomat as UK Pushes Back Against Pressure
White House App Faces Scrutiny After Claims of Continuous User Location Tracking
BBC Faces Scrutiny Over Allegations of Paid Content Linked to Saudi Arabia
UK-France Coastal Patrol Agreement Nears Breakdown Amid Migration Pressures
UK Police Detain Pro-Palestine Activist Again Weeks After Bail Release
FTSE 100 Advances as Energy and Mining Shares Gain Amid Middle East Tensions
Eli Lilly Seeks UK Pricing Deal to Unlock Renewed Pharmaceutical Investment
Three Arrested in UK After Massive Cocaine Haul Discovered Hidden in Banana Shipment
UK Fuel Prices Poised for Further Surge Amid Global Energy Pressures
Apple Subsidiary Penalized by UK Authorities for Breach of Moscow Sanctions
Western Allies Intensify Coordinated Sanctions Strategy Against Russia
UK Lawmakers Face Criticism Over Renewed Push for Social Media Restrictions
Starmer Signals UK Crackdown on Addictive Social Media Features
Rising Costs Push One in Five UK Hospitality Businesses to the Brink of Closure
Man Arrested on Suspicion of Attempted Murder After Car Strikes Pedestrians in UK, Injuring Seven
Escalating Conflict Involving Iran Tightens Fiscal Pressures and Highlights UK Economic Vulnerabilities
UK Moves to Confront Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Operating in Its Waters
UK Housing Divide Deepens as Older Owners Hold Wealth While Under-30s Face Mounting Barriers
London Demonstration Calls on UK to Recognize Iranian Opposition’s Provisional Government
UK Green Party Vote on ‘Zionism is Racism’ Motion Collapses Amid Internal Disputes and Technical Failures
SNL UK Ignites Debate with Sharp Royal Satire Targeting Prince Andrew and Prince William
EU Proposes ‘Emergency Brake’ to Resolve Deadlock in UK Youth Mobility Talks
Thousands Rally in London to Oppose Rise of Far-Right Movements
Hong Kong Official Rejects Allegations of Surveillance Orders Targeting UK-Based Dissidents
PayPal Expands Cryptocurrency Services to Allow UK Users to Buy and Sell Bitcoin
UK Minister Challenges Reform Party’s ‘Pro-Family’ Agenda as Debate Intensifies
Concerns Grow Over Meningitis Risk Among UK Students Amid Warning Signs of New Outbreaks
Japanese Grand Prix 2026: Schedule, UK Start Times and Full Broadcast Details
Electric Vehicles Seen as Strategic Solution to UK Fuel Reserve Concerns
Rise of Lone-Actor Threats and Online Radicalisation Drives New Wave of Antisemitic Attacks in the UK
Canada Advances Plan to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations in Election Campaigns
UK Faces Looming Medicine Shortages as Iran Conflict Threatens Supply Chains
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak in the U.K. Highlights Urgent Need for Vaccination
Fresh Claims Emerge Over Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit as Insider Speaks Out
NATO Assessment Indicates UK Defence Spending Has Fallen Below Alliance Average
FTSE 100 Slips as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Investor Sentiment
UK Economy Begins to Feel Early Impact of Iran Conflict as Policy Challenges Intensify
Russian National Jailed in UK After Assault Case Linked to Barron Trump’s Alert
Energy Price Surge Accelerates Shift Away from Fossil Fuels in UK Homes
UK Museums House More Than 260,000 Human Remains, New Report Reveals
Surging UK Gilt Yields Reflect Inflation Pressures and Fiscal Uncertainty
UK Issues Updated Guidance on Children’s Screen Time with Focus on Balance and Wellbeing
UK Migration Figures Show Shifting Trends Across Asylum, Visas and Channel Crossings
UK Watchdog Launches Probe into Five Firms Over Alleged Fake Reviews and Ratings
Jaguar Land Rover Halts Production at UK Plant Amid Supplier Disruption
UK Police Reverse Position, Confirm Arrests Will Resume for Palestine Action Protests
UK Small Businesses Face Europe’s Steepest Cost Pressures, New Survey Reveals
US Envoy Urges UK to Proceed with King’s Visit Amid Diplomatic Sensitivities
FTSE 100 Drops Over One Percent as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Markets
UK CO2 Plant Set to Reopen as Authorities Move to Safeguard Supplies Amid Middle East Tensions
×