Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has told Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer he risks fuelling accusations of “a cover up” by refusing to hold a national inquiry into grooming gangs.
She also accused the PM of not wanting questions asked “of Labour politicians who may be complicit”.
Sir Keir argued that several inquires had already been held into abuse carried out by gangs of men, predominantly of Pakistani heritage, and that a new probe would only delay the action the victims wanted.
And he said he would “call out” anyone who prevented victims of sexual abuse from coming forward.
The Conservatives have tabled an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill which calls for a national inquiry.
In the unlikely event the amendment is approved the bill, which includes measures aimed at protecting children and tougher rules around home-schooling, as well as changes to academies, would be scuppered.
Sir Keir said it was “shocking” Conservative MPs would try to block a bill aimed at helping vulnerable children by voting for the Tory amendment and accused Badenoch of “weak leadership”.
Making her argument for a fresh inquiry, Badenoch said “no one has joined the dots, no one has the total picture”.
She noted that the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, which lasted for seven years and concluded in 2022, had not had a specific focus on grooming gangs.
“We don’t need to repeat the work that has already been done. Let’s look at new areas.”
She said a new inquiry could explore “if there was a racial and cultural motivation to some of these crimes”.
Sir Keir said “reasonable people could agree or disagree” on whether there should be a fresh probe and acknowledged that there were mixed views among victims and survivors.
However, he accused Badenoch of only recently taking an interest in the subject and said she had failed to take action when she was in government.
“I can’t recall her once raising this issue in the House, once calling for a national inquiry,” he said.
