Madeleine McCann's parents are launching an online petition to help force a UK and Portuguese joint review of all evidence in the case of their missing daughter.

Kate and Gerry McCann accuse the Home Secretary of offering "words, but no action

They hope it can lead to a new police investigation into Madeleine's disappearance from the family's rented holiday apartment in Portugal three-and-a-half years ago today.

Kate and Gerry McCann accuse Home Secretary Theresa May of offering "words, but no action" to help them in their search for their daughter.

Mrs McCann said: "Reviews are done in all major investigations, at least in this country. "The benefits of pulling together different bits of evidence can be enormous but until that is done we can't be sure what has been missed. 

You have to ask why it isn't being done in Madeleine's case. What is the block?"

An independent report by Jim Gamble, of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, is thought to back the couple's demand for a review of all the evidence gathered by British and Portuguese police.

The report was commissioned by Labour Home Secretary Alan Johnson but not completed until the summer, when Mrs May took office under the coalition government.Yet the Home Office refuses to disclose its recommendations to the McCanns.

Madeleine McCann: Vanished in Portugal three-and-a-half years ago

"There is no reason why the contents of the report can't be made available to us. They say some of it is sensitive but we are Madeleine's parents for goodness sake.

"We've made it clear we will not divulge any of it except to help our own investigators," said Mr McCann.The couple met Mrs May in August, but say they were left with little optimism of Government help.

"We didn't get answers," said Mrs McCann. "We got a lot of words but no action, nothing concrete. I can't get my head around the fact that the Government has given up on Madeleine."

The couple are also writing to their regular supporters asking for more money because funds are in danger of running out by the Spring as their own private investigators continue to explore potential evidence in Portugal and elsewhere.

The Home Office said in a statement: "The Home Secretary has met Kate and Gerry McCann and is deeply sympathetic to their situation.

"The Government wants to ensure that everything feasible is being done to progress the search for Madeleine." The McCanns' petition can be found at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/madeleinemccann_case_review/

SKY (M BRUNT) INTERVIEW WITH THE MCCANNS

WITH THANKS TO JJP FOR TRANSCRIPT

Martin Brunt The McCanns say all they want is the Home Office to persuade the Portuguese authorities for a joint review of all the evidence.  They believe it would justify a new investigation into their daughter, Madeleine’s, disappearance.  Why do you think that isn’t being done?

Gerry McCann Right at the minute we don’t know why it its not being done…

Kate McCann Its a good question isn’t it?

Gerry McCann We’ve asked…

Kate McCann I mean, as you’d be aware reviews are done of all major investigations in this country anyway.  So they are obviously felt to be of benefit.  So you do have to ask the question, why then, what is the block in doing a review of Madeleine’s situation?

Martin Brunt But when you asked the Home Secretary that, two months ago, what did she say?

Kate McCann Well we don’t often get answers to be honest.  I mean there’s a lot of words but nothing concrete.

Martin Brunt An independent report on the Madeleine case was commissioned by a previous Home Secretary.  The author, Jim Gamble of the Child Exploitation and online center delivered the report this summer to the new government and its believed he recommends a detailed review but the Home Office won’t tell the McCanns what’s in the CEOP report.

Gerry McCann I don’t see any reason why the contents of that report should not be made available to us.  We’ve been very clear all along the way that we’ll only divulge information if and when its valuable to the search and the government know that we have kept lots of information, erm, quiet.  So I don’t see, even if there is sensitive elements within it, why we shouldn’t be given it. As Madeleine’s parents I think it is wrong.

Martin Brunt Madeleine was nearly four when she vanished from the family’s rented holiday apartment in Portugal in May 2007.  The Portuguese police abandoned their investigation fifteen months later without any evidence of what happened to Madeleine.  Today her parents are launching an online petition for support in their campaign for more government help.

Gerry McCann We are asking the people who elected the government to petition them to do more.  They are not doing anything proactive.  Madeleine’s a British citizen.  She’s innocent.  She’s vulnerable and our government should be doing more to find her.

Martin Brunt Your hope, belief that Madeleine is still alive is as strong as ever?

Kate McCann Well the hope’s definitely there. I mean it has to be, you know.  With nothing to the contrary, you know, Madeleine’s still out there and alive, you know, and to give up on her, just, I mean I can’t get my head round that really, how a government or authorities can do that.  We certainly can’t give up on her.

Martin Brunt The McCanns say its scandalous that they and their small team of investigators are the only ones still looking for Madeleine.  Martin Brunt for Sky News in Leicestershire.