Andy Burnham expresses willingness for a national inquiry into grooming gangs amid rising pressure from various political figures
Greater Manchester: So, Andy Burnham is hinting he might back a national inquiry into grooming gangs if the government decides to go for it. This comes after some serious pressure from folks like Elon Musk.
Burnham, the mayor, pointed out that he started a review into the whole scandal in Manchester back when he got elected in 2017. He’s been pretty upfront about the failings and mentioned that there have been arrests and convictions since then.
He was chatting on BBC Radio 4 and said he wouldn’t oppose a national review if it’s seen as necessary. This is all happening while the Conservatives and others are pushing for a broader inquiry, especially after some tough questions for Keir Starmer.
Some critics are saying we don’t need another inquiry since there was one led by Professor Alexis Jay, and none of the recommendations from 2022 have been acted on yet. Burnham also noted that Jay has distanced herself from calls for a new inquiry, focusing instead on getting the existing recommendations implemented.
There’s a group called Act on IICSA that’s warning against making sexual violence a political issue, saying it just spreads misinformation. They want to see real changes based on the recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, which wrapped up in 2022.
That inquiry looked into abuse by organized groups and found that the sexual abuse of children is a huge problem in the UK. It highlighted cases from places like Rotherham and Rochdale, where many kids were victimized.
Burnham is all about finishing the Greater Manchester review first, as police investigations are still ongoing. He’s not against a national review but wants to make sure it doesn’t interfere with local efforts.
This all comes after Kemi Badenoch called for a national inquiry into the “rape gangs scandal,” while some ministers have been dodging requests for public inquiries into child exploitation in places like Oldham.
Elon Musk even jumped into the conversation, saying that some politicians should be held accountable for how these issues have been handled. It’s a hot topic, and it looks like it’s going to stay in the spotlight for a while.
