Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced plans for a nationwide review of grooming gang evidence and five government-backed local inquiries.
She stopped short of launching a statutory national inquiry, as called for by the Conservatives and some Labour MPs, but it is claimed this marks a clear shift in the government’s position.
It looks like kicking the matter into the long grass. Government reviews being a neat way of placating critics while doing and achieving nothing. Look at the picture and read the clues. It’s not hard to identify who are comitting these heinous crimes.
Cooper said top lawyer Tom Crowther, who led an inquiry in Telford, would help Oldham and four other pilot areas yet to be named, develop their own reviews.
She also announced a “rapid” three month national audit headed by veteran government trouble-shooter Baroness Louise Casey to examine the demographics of the gangs and their victims, as well as “cultural drivers” behind the offending.
Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the plan was “wholly inadequate” and repeated his call for a full national inquiry.
He expressed concern that the local inquiries would not have the powers to compel witnesses to attend and give evidence under oath.
The issue had recently been thrust into the spotlight by tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has criticised the prime minister for not calling a national inquiry.
Mr Musk responded to Cooper’s announcement by saying on his X platform: “I hope this is a proper investigation”. He added: “This is a step in the right direction, but the results will speak for themselves.”
