Sir Keir Starmer is to launch a brand new nationwide inquiry into grooming gangs.
It comes after a government-requested audit into the size of grooming gangs throughout the nation concluded a nationwide probe was crucial.
The prime minister beforehand argued a nationwide inquiry was not crucial, however has modified his view following an audit into group-based youngster sexual abuse led by Baroness Casey, which is ready to be revealed subsequent week.
“[Baroness Casey’s] position when she started the audit was that there was not a real need for a national inquiry over and above what was going on,” he advised reporters travelling with him to the G7 summit in Canada.
“She has appeared on the materials… and he or she has come to the view that there needs to be a nationwide inquiry on the idea of what she has seen.
“I’ve learn each single phrase of her report, and I’m going to just accept her suggestion. That’s the proper factor to do on the idea of what she has put in her audit.
“I asked her to do that job to double check on this; she has done that job for me, and having read her report… I shall now implement her recommendations.”
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Grooming gangs: What occurred?
The close to 200-page report is to be revealed subsequent week and is anticipated to warn that white British women had been “institutionally ignored for fear of racism”.
One individual acquainted with the report stated it particulars the institutional failures in treating younger women and cites a decade of misplaced motion from the Jay Evaluate, arrange in 2014 to research grooming gangs in Rotherham.
The report can also be anticipated to hyperlink unlawful immigration with the exploitation of younger women.
The federal government had initially resisted a brand new inquiry, insisting that it first needed to implement suggestions from earlier inquiries, such because the Jay Evaluate, into youngster sexual exploitation.
It additionally allowed 5 councils to arrange their very own investigations into their communities relatively than maintain a nationwide inquiry.
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From April: Will all grooming gang inquiries go forward?
The grooming gang scandal got here again into the headlines originally of the yr after Elon Musk attacked Sir Keir and safeguarding minister Jess Philips for failing youngsters.
The prime minister and Ms Phillips hit again, with Sir Keir citing his report of prosecuting abusers as director of public prosecutions, whereas Ms Phillips has lengthy been a campaigner in opposition to home violence.
On the time, she advised Sky Information that Mr Musk’s claims had been “ridiculous” and that she could be led by what victims need to say, not him.
Following the row between the tech billionaire and the UK authorities, the prime minister requested Baroness Casey to conduct an audit of all of the proof to see if a nationwide inquiry was required.
Learn extra on this story:
Telford youngster abuse victims communicate out
What we find out about grooming gangs, from the information
The ladies who blew whistle on Rotherham
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative chief, stated: “Keir Starmer doesn’t know what he thinks except an official report has advised him so.
“Similar to he dismissed issues in regards to the winter gasoline fee after which needed to U-turn, identical to he wanted the Supreme Court docket to inform him what a lady is, he needed to be led by the nostril to make this appropriate determination right here.
“I’ve been repeatedly calling for a full nationwide inquiry since January. It’s about time he recognised he made a mistake and apologise for six wasted months.
“However this should not be the tip of the matter. There are lots of, many extra questions that want answering to make sure this inquiry is finished correctly and rapidly.
“Many survivors of the grooming gangs will be relieved that this is finally happening, but they need a resolution soon, not in 10 years’ time. Justice delayed is justice denied.”
