Labour MP calls for 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. Read our privacy policy A Labour MP has backed calls for a national inquiry into grooming gangs, urging Sir Keir Starmer to “use the full power of the state to deliver justice”. We need a new doctrine to take our multi-ethnic society into the future.” Insisting that the issue was “not an obsession of the far-right”, he said he was speaking out as “over the decades there have been far too few Labour voices expressing clear disgust and outrage at these heinous crimes, their cover-up and the lack of action.” 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. It must continue to unflinchingly pursue the perpetrators and bring to account those in positions of authority who turned a blind eye, failed to act, or gave political cover to the gangs.” So far, Sir Keir has resisted calls for a new inquiry, saying the Government will focus on implementing the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse chaired by Professor Alexis Jay. Describing the previous Independent Inquiry on Child Sexual Abuse as a “shotgun approach”, he said a new inquiry needed to be a “rifle shot” dealing with gangs “predominantly of Pakistani origin” preying on “young, in most cases working-class white girls”.