A former chief prosecutor and whistleblower reject calls for a national inquiry into child sexual exploitation, citing past failures.
Oldham: So, there’s been some serious back and forth about a national inquiry into child sexual exploitation. Former chief prosecutor Nazir Afzal and whistleblower Maggie Oliver are not having it. They’re pushing back against calls from Elon Musk and some Conservative leaders for a new inquiry.
Afzal, who played a big role in taking down the Rochdale grooming gang, pointed out that previous inquiries didn’t lead to any real action. He’s frustrated that the last Conservative government ignored the findings of a major report on child abuse that came out in 2022.
Oliver, who left her police job to speak out about the failings in protecting kids, echoed his sentiments. She’s tired of hearing empty promises and wants real change, not just more political talk.
This all kicked off after Musk, who’s been pretty vocal on social media, criticized Labour leader Keir Starmer for not prosecuting child rapists in Oldham. He’s been posting a lot on X, formerly known as Twitter, about this issue.
The safeguarding minister, Jess Phillips, recently turned down a request for a public inquiry in Oldham, saying it’s up to local councils to handle these matters. This didn’t sit well with some Conservatives, who are now calling for a national inquiry.
But here’s the kicker: the same party that’s pushing for a national inquiry had previously rejected one when they were in power. A leaked letter from last year shows they dismissed a request for a public inquiry in Oldham.
Afzal reminded everyone that there was already a national inquiry into child abuse, which cost a fortune and was largely ignored by the last government. He believes local inquiries are more effective in making communities safer.
Oliver added that the previous national inquiry lasted seven years and made 20 recommendations, none of which were acted upon. She’s calling for action, not just more talk.
Meanwhile, some Labour ministers are saying that Musk’s involvement has highlighted the need for the government to step away from X, claiming it’s become a platform for misinformation since he took over.
One MP even said Musk has gone too far this time, suggesting that X is turning into a bit of a mess.
