Sir Keir Starmer is facing a grassroots rebellion over his refusal to launch a national inquiry into grooming gangs. The Government has rejected calls for a national probe into the issue and there have been accusations that five local reviews that were promised have been watered down.
Campaign group Blue Labour called on the Prime Minister to commit to a national inquiry. It said: “Blue Labour’s position on the grooming and rape gangs is unchanged. This is a national evil that requires a national response.
“Local authorities lack the necessary capabilities and legal authority to carry out investigations, and often they are in need of investigation themselves.
“We need a national inquiry with full statutory powers. The decades-long abuse of young girls and its cover-up is a sickness that must be exorcised from the body politic.
“Labour is committed to reforming the state and its institutions, to restoring trust and consent in government, and to renewing the social covenant that binds us together. We can start the renewal here.”
Labour peer Lord Glasman, who founded the group, told The Telegraph: “Our position is unchanged. We call for an immediate national inquiry with full powers of arrest. This is an evil that has got to be seen to be public.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper had announced in January that “victim-centred, locally-led inquiries” would take place in five areas including Oldham, Greater Manchester.
But safeguarding minister Jess Phillips faced a backlash in the Commons on Tuesday for not providing an update on local reviews into grooming the Government had previously promised.
Instead, Ms Phillips told MPs local authorities will be able to access a £5 million fund to support locally-led work on grooming gangs.
Ms Cooper today insisted that the five local inquiries will still be going ahead.
She told LBC: “Yep. We’re still going ahead. The framework is being drawn up at the moment.
“There’s been, sadly, a lot of, I think, party political misinformation about this. What we should be doing is all working together to support victims and survivors of these really vile crimes.”
Pressed again on whether they will take place, the Home Secretary added: “Yeah, there may be more.”
