Labour MP for Rotherham calls for locally-led national grooming gangs inquiry
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The Labour MP for Rotherham has called for a national inquiry into grooming gangs, calling child sexual abuse in the UK “endemic”. Sarah Champion called for a nationwide inquiry that would be led locally and probe the failings of authorities over grooming gangs.
She proposed a national “Telford-style” inquiry rolled out by the Home Office to areas that trigger the threshold for greater scrutiny. The findings would then be fed back to the Home Office for a national response. “Child sexual abuse is endemic in the UK and needs to be recognised as a national priority,” she said.
“It is clear that the public distrusts governments and authorities when it comes to preventing and prosecuting child abuse, especially child sexual exploitation.”. She set out a five-point plan of recommendations including a national inquiry and a “national audit” to see if grooming gangs are still operating or cases have been missed.
Local inquiries lack the power to compel witnesses and would fail to satisfy the public’s concern of cover-ups, she said. Triggers for such inquiries in local areas could be local councils or police referring themselves or an independent panel raising concerns.
Victim or survivor reports could also trigger an inquiry under the model, Ms Champion said. Dan Carden, who represents Liverpool Walton, became the first Labour MP to back calls for a national inquiry at the weekend. Pressure has mounted on the Prime Minister to launch an inquiry specifically into grooming gangs since billionaire Elon Musk posted a slew of attacks on him over the issue at the start of the year.
