Time for 'less talk and more action' on grooming gangs, say victims minister and child abuse inquiry chair
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It is time for “less talk and more action” on sexual exploitation and grooming gangs, the victims minister and the chair of the child abuse inquiry said on Tuesday. Senior Conservative MPs have called for a national inquiry into the sexual abuse of young girls in towns across Britain after the subject came under the spotlight due to a string of social media attacks on the Prime Minister by billionaire Elon Musk.
But minister Alex Davies-Jones dismissed the suggestion and said: “What is important now is less talk and more action.”. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was criticised after saying on Monday that politicians are “calling for inquiries because they want to jump on a bandwagon of the far-right”.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “Smearing people who raised those issues is exactly how this ended up getting covered up in the first place”. But Professor Alexis Jay, who led a seven-year inquiry into child sexual abuse in Britain, said victims "clearly want action" and that the time has passed for a new national inquiry into grooming gangs.
She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think that the time has passed for more inquiries. We've had enough of inquiries, consultations and discussions and especially for those victims and survivors who've had the courage to come forward, and they clearly want action.
"We have set out what action is required and people should just get on with it. Locally and nationally.". The slew of messages on X from tech billionaire Mr Musk on the issue attacking Sir Keir and safeguarding minister Jess Phillips came after the Government declined to commission a Home Office inquiry into sexual exploitation in Oldham, insisting it should be locally-led.
