“Is this the best a panicking Labour Party could come up with? These women need justice. Not fob offs.”
There are moments in public life where moral clarity and decisive action are not just required—they are demanded.
The industrial-scale grooming and abuse of young girls in towns and cities across Britain represents one of the gravest scandals in our nation’s history. It is a monstrous crime that cries out for a full, independent, and comprehensive national inquiry.
And yet, Labour seems intent on doing just enough to appear proactive, while failing to address the scale of this scandal. A mere week after voting down a national inquiry, Labour now seeks to placate public anger by offering nationally-backed local inquiries. While this volte-face might be welcomed as a first step, it is woefully inadequate. Piecemeal inquiries will not suffice. We need the full force of a national, judge-led investigation to shine a light into every dark corner of this appalling failure of state and society.
Local Inquiries: Too Little, Too Late
Labour’s Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has announced funding for local inquiries modelled on Telford’s judge-led review. She has also pledged a £10 million audit led by Baroness Casey to examine the scale of grooming and the cultural drivers behind it. These efforts may appear well-intentioned, but they fall far short of what is necessary.
As Kemi Badenoch astutely pointed out, local inquiries lack the teeth to summon witnesses or compel full cooperation. Without these powers, crucial evidence risks remaining hidden. Indeed, we have already seen local councils, police forces, and other institutions resist accountability in the name of “community cohesion.”
Oldham Council, for instance, has explicitly called for a national inquiry, recognising the limitations of local efforts. Why then does Labour persist in offering half-measures?
Why now?
For those asking, “Why didn’t the Tories address this when they were in power?”—let me offer some perspective. As a journalist, albeit one who rarely delves into criminal law, I, like many others, was unaware of the sheer magnitude of this appalling stain on British society until Elon Musk, of all people, began exposing the horrifying details.
That said, I do recall the formidable Suella Braverman during her tenure as Home Secretary. She was resolute in demanding inquiries and established the Grooming Gangs Taskforce, which achieved over 500 arrests in its first year alone—a remarkable accomplishment.
However, even with these efforts, the true scale of the issue remained shrouded in darkness. Did any of us fully grasp the enormity of it until now? I certainly didn’t. And judging by the collective shock that has emerged, it seems few truly did.
Labour Marking Its Own Homework
Now that the lid has been blown off, the spectre of political self-interest looms large over Labour’s approach. Labour-led councils in towns like Rotherham, Rochdale, and Oldham presided over appalling failures. Fears of being accused of racism or Islamophobia paralysed these councils, allowing systemic abuse to continue unchecked.
The idea that Labour can now mark its own homework is preposterous. Survivors and the public deserve better. Only a truly independent national inquiry can expose the truth and restore confidence in our institutions.
Suella Braverman perfectly captured the inadequacy of Labour’s response today, taking to Twitter to say:
“This is what a minister looks like when she really doesn’t want to do something (commission a national inquiry) but just wants a headache to go away. So she does something wholly inadequate in the hope that no-one will notice that she hasn’t actually done the thing that needs doing. Despite the spin, Yvette Cooper has actually announced a half-baked fudge. Is this the best a panicking Labour Party could come up with? These women need justice. Not fob-offs.”
Starmer’s Insults and Elon Musk’s Backlash
Keir Starmer’s dismissive labelling of a national inquiry advocates as “far-Right” is also not just offensive—it is profoundly misguided. Survivors, families, and millions of decent citizens across the UK are demanding justice, not indulging in ideology. To smear their righteous anger as extremism is an insult that betrays a staggering lack of judgement.
Elon Musk’s intervention, accusing Starmer and Cooper of failing to act decisively, has fuelled the controversy. Musk’s claims that this represents a “massive crime against humanity” and his criticism of Labour’s safeguarding failures may be blunt, but they resonate with many who feel betrayed by a political class that prioritises optics over action.
The Stakes Could Not Be Higher
This is not just a question of justice for survivors—though that is paramount. It is about ensuring that the mistakes of the past are never repeated. It is about restoring faith in the rule of law and the ability of our institutions to protect the most vulnerable.
The British people overwhelmingly support a national inquiry, and rightly so. The grooming gang scandal is a stain on our national conscience. It is a state failure that demands the maximum level of scrutiny.
A Call to Action
Keir Starmer and his government must now decide where they stand. Will they continue to obfuscate, offering half-measures in the hope of stemming public outrage? Or will they rise to the occasion and launch the national inquiry that this scandal so desperately demands?
It is time for leadership. Time for justice. Time for a comprehensive investigation that leaves no stone unturned. Britain’s children, its communities, and its values deserve nothing less.
Labour may have taken a small step, but it is not enough. A proper national inquiry must be launched without delay. Anything less is a betrayal of the survivors and an abdication of responsibility.
The British people demand action. Prime Minister Starmer, the ball is in your court. Do the right thing.
Main Image: Screengrab from BBC video on X
