Cooper defends decision not to launch national grooming inquiry

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “That is why this Government is determined to act – strengthening the law, taking forward recommendations from the independent inquiries, supporting stronger police action and protection for victims.” Shadow home secretary Chris Philp repeated calls for a national inquiry and was met with shouts of “shame” from the Labour benches as he said: “It is not far-right to stand up for victims of mass rape.” “Smearing people who raised those issues is exactly how this ended up getting covered up in the first place,” he added. There hasn’t been enough change to policies, to the way in which services operate at local level, and that is a deep failing that those changes have not taken place.” Ms Cooper said Labour called for it to be mandatory to report abuse 10 years ago, adding: “We called for it 10 years ago. “And he didn’t do so until last week.” Mr Philp also asked the Home Secretary to confirm if data from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse on the ethnicity of perpetrators will be published. “And if the Government will not order that statutory national public inquiry, we will table an amendment to the Children Wellbeing Bill later this week to put the matter to a vote, and I hope members across the House will vote for that full statutory public inquiry so we can get to the truth.” Ms Cooper replied: “It’s already been published, it was published in November, the latest report was published in November … as a result of the work of the taskforce.