Everything you need to know as MPs vote on new grooming gangs inquiry - and why it will fail
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The Tories are pushing for a new grooming inquiry in an amendment to Labour’s child safety Bill - but even if it passes, it’s unlikely a inquiry will be launched. The Conservatives say they will attempt to win parliamentary backing for a new inquiry into grooming gangs on Wednesday as Labour’s landmark bill for child safety reaches a crucial stage.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said her party will table an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to require a national statutory inquiry into grooming gangs. Ahead of the debate at 4pm, Labour has responded by accusing the Conservatives of playing politics.
Education minister Bridget Phillipson said “the single biggest piece of children safeguarding legislation in a generation” was now liable to be sacrificed “on the altar of political opportunism”. That’s because even if the Tories managed to persuade Labour MPs to vote for their amendment, the intervention is more likely to kill the Bill than bring forth any inquiry.
Here’s why:. The Tory party will bring forward an amendment to the Government’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to establish a “national statutory inquiry into historical child sexual exploitation, focused on grooming gangs”. The efforts come after relentless interventions from Trump ally Elon Musk. The eccentric billionaire has written more than 200 posts on the issue since New Year’s Day, taking aim at the prime minister, Jess Phillips and others in government.
