Sir Keir Starmer may reconsider his stance on a grooming gangs inquiry, following comments from Downing Street and victims’ groups.
London: So, it looks like Sir Keir Starmer might be changing his mind about holding an inquiry into grooming gangs. Downing Street has confirmed that he’s open to it now, which is a big shift.
Jess Phillips, the safeguarding minister, mentioned that a new national probe is still an option. The PM’s spokesperson said they’d consider it if victims’ groups ask for it. That’s a pretty significant change from before.
During a heated session in Parliament, Starmer and Kemi Badenoch went back and forth on this issue. Badenoch called child grooming one of the worst scandals in British history and accused the PM of avoiding an inquiry to protect Labour politicians.
Interestingly, Badenoch’s spokesperson admitted she hasn’t met any victims yet. Her calls for an inquiry seem to be based on what she’s read in the news, which raises some eyebrows.
This debate is heating up just before a crucial vote on a Tory amendment to Labour’s children’s welfare bill. The bill aims to change how parents can take their kids out of school if there are concerns about their safety.
Phillips said she’s open to listening to victims. If they come to her and say they want a national inquiry, she’ll take it seriously. This is a shift from the government’s earlier stance, where they rejected calls for a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation.
With pressure mounting from various sides, including Elon Musk, it seems the government is feeling the heat to act. Professor Alexis Jay, who led a previous inquiry, has also weighed in, saying it’s time to implement the recommendations from her report instead of starting another lengthy investigation.
Starmer didn’t hold back during PMQs, pointing out that Badenoch has only recently started calling for an inquiry. He reminded everyone that she’s been in government for a while and hasn’t raised this issue before.
His spokesperson clarified that the government isn’t necessarily doing a u-turn but is focused on a “victims-first approach.” It’s definitely a situation to keep an eye on as things develop.
