Andy Burnham joins calls for ‘limited’ national inquiry into sexual abuse gangs
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Greater Manchester mayor says scope of inquiry he commissioned in Oldham did not have same legal powers. The Greater Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, has joined calls for a “limited” national inquiry into grooming gangs, saying the scope of the local inquiry he had commissioned in Oldham did not have the same legal powers.
On Wednesday, MPs rejected a Conservative amendment to the children’s wellbeing and schools bill, calling for a new, national inquiry into grooming gangs. Had it passed, the bill, which includes measures aimed to protect children, and tighter rules around home schooling, would have been blocked.
The vote followed vocal attacks online by the tech billionaire Elon Musk against Keir Starmer and the safeguarding minister, Jess Phillips, after it was revealed she turned down a request for a public inquiry into exploitation in Oldham, made by the local council.
The prime minister and other ministers have suggested they are open-minded about a future inquiry, but have said the government’s priority is acting on the recommendations of the 2022 report into child sexual abuse led by Prof Alexis Jay. “I did hear last night coming out of that debate ministers saying they are open to discussing issues now with survivors,” Burnham told BBC Radio Manchester on Thursday.
“I will add my voice into this and say I do think there is the case for a limited national inquiry that draws on reviews like the one that I commissioned, and the one we have seen in Rotherham, the one we have seen in Telford, to draw out some of these national issues and compel people to give evidence who then may have charges to answer and be held to account.”.
