Labour MPs have blocked Kemi Badenoch’s attempt to force an independent inquiry into child sexual exploitation by Muslim grooming gangs.
In a shocking move, Sir Keir Starmer whipped his MPs to vote down the Conservative amendment to their child safety and education Bill, which would have blocked the legislation from going forward on the grounds it doesn’t include the commitment to a new probe.
MPs blocked Ms Badenoch’s attempt by 364 to 111, putting a stop to a rare moment of cross-party agreement between the Conservatives and Reform UK.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “It is disgusting that Keir Starmer has used his supermajority in Parliament to block a national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal.
“Labour MPs have put their Party ahead of getting to the truth and turned a blind eye to justice for the victims. Labour MPs will have to explain to the British people why they are against learning the truth behind the torture and rape of countless vulnerable girls.
“We will not let them forget this act of cowardice.”
The Prime Minister insisted action is needed “on what we already know” rather than a comprehensive investigation into failings in the past.
But Kemi Badenoch warned that refusing to launch a probe would lead people to “worry about a cover up”.
The Conservative leader demanded that Sir Keir starts acting like a “leader, not a lawyer”.
She added: “We need to focus on what this is really about: this is not about the PM’s work at the Crown Prosecution Service… it’s not about you, it’s about the victims.”
Ms Badenoch said past inquiries “couldn’t get evidence, they couldn’t summon witnesses and not a single person in a position of authority has been held to account”.
In a fiery Commons clash, she said a new inquiry must “join up” previous investigations, as well as have a specific focus on whether there was a racial or cultural motivation behind the mass cover-up of rapes.
She argued that white girls had been seen as “easy meat” by gangs.
“We know that people were scared to tell the truth because they thought they’d be called racist. If we want to stop this from ever happening again we cannot be afraid,” she added.
Labour MPs reacted with outrage when Ms Badenoch pointed out that in opposing her motion the Prime Minister was forcing MPs with grooming gangs in their own constituencies to block a probe.
She blasted: “Let us have the truth. The PM cannot face the scale of the scandal. He doesn’t want questions asked of Labour politicians who may be complicit.”
“Later today he will tell labour MPs, including in Telford, Rochdale, Bristol, Derby, Aylesbury, Oldham, Bradford, Peterborough, Coventry, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Ramsgate – tell all of these people to vote against a national inquiry into the gangs which have systematically gang-raped children in their constituencies.”
Elon Musk, whose social media posts have been at the heart of the debate, later tweeted praise for the Tory leader, posting “well said, Kemi Badenoch” on X.
Nigel Farage said the country deserves a full and open national inquiry, and that if the Government does not relent Reform UK would fund one themselves.
He warned Labour MPs: “If the Government won’t do this – and I do believe there is now overwhelming support on all sides of the political spectrum for this, and Parliament should not be in denial about this – if it doesn’t, then we will raise the money at Reform UK and appoint independent arbiters, because we need the truth to be out there.”
The Reform leader asked Labour MPs: “I beg those on the other side of the House: don’t you believe that your constituents need to know the truth about this great evil that has happened in our country?”
The fiery day in Westminster culminated in a showdown over the Government’s new Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which the Tories attempted to amend to force an inquiry into the grooming gang scandal.
Despite a cross-party effort to force a new inquiry, Labour MPs voted the Tory amendment.
Sir Keir demanded that the Tories withdraw their amendment, on the grounds it would strike down their entire bill and undermine child safety.
The PM insisted he could act against child rapists without another inquiry, suggesting such a move could delay justice until after 2030.
But Sir Keir hinted he could be prepared to grant an inquiry into grooming gangs in the future.
Less than a week after safeguarding minister Jess Phillips rejected a call by Oldham Council to hold an independent probe, the Prime Minister’s spokesman left the door open to a new investigation provided victims wanted one.
Sir Keir’s spokesman said that the Prime Minister remains “open-minded”, though continued to insist a new inquiry would “not be the best way to deliver [victims] justice”.
He said: “Our position is that victims groups have told us that they do not want to see a national inquiry, that we therefore share that view that that would not be the best way to deliver them justice”.
Ms Phillips also said “nothing is off the table”, and she could be willing to u-turn if her victims’ panel recommended a new investigation.
Labour later accused the Conservatives of “stooping to a new low” after they discovered Ms Badenoch had used her inquiry amendment as an opportunity to fundraise for the party.
A Labour spokesman claimed this showed “breathtaking disrespect to brave victims who are being used as a political football by the Conservatives”.