Dan Carden urges a national inquiry into grooming gangs, challenging Labour leadership amid public outcry for justice
Liverpool: So, Dan Carden, the Labour MP for Liverpool Walton, has stepped up and called for a national inquiry into grooming gangs. He’s the first from his party to do so, which is pretty bold.
He’s saying that the public really wants justice and that Sir Keir Starmer should use all the power he has to make it happen. It’s a big deal, especially since a recent poll showed that a lot of folks think the whole scandal was covered up.
Things got heated when the Prime Minister told Labour MPs to vote against a statutory inquiry. This was backed by some big names, including Kemi Badenoch and Elon Musk. Yeah, that Elon Musk!
Apparently, Musk has been chatting with Dominic Cummings, who used to work for Boris Johnson. They’re plotting some moves against Labour, which is just wild.
Starmer didn’t even vote on this issue, and his spokesperson said he’d listen to the victims. But Downing Street insists he still thinks a new inquiry isn’t needed.
Carden, though, is really passionate about this. He told the Liverpool Echo that the public cares deeply about the victims, especially young working-class girls. He’s calling out those in power for possibly covering things up because of race or class issues.
He believes both Starmer and Jess Phillips have good records on this, but the government isn’t stepping up as it should. Carden wants a clear message about justice and accountability.
He’s pushing for the Prime Minister to use all the resources available to go after the perpetrators and hold those who ignored the issue accountable.
Polling shows that many people think the scandal was intentionally hidden, with a lot of folks feeling that neither the Conservative nor Labour governments have done enough.
Interestingly, there’s strong support for a law that would require anyone working with kids to report abuse allegations. Most people think that’s a no-brainer.
Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, has also called for a national inquiry, which is a big move against Starmer’s stance. He’s been looking into grooming issues in his area for a while now.
The whole situation has reignited anger over the grooming gangs scandal, especially after Phillips didn’t fund an inquiry in Oldham, which led to a lot of online backlash.
Prof. Alexis Jay, who led a major investigation into child abuse, is saying enough is enough. She wants action based on the recommendations she’s already made.
