Labour has quietly ditched its commitment to launch five local inquiries into grooming gangs — just hours before Parliament broke up for Easter.
In a move branded a “complete and utter disgrace” by Conservative MPs, the Government reallocated the promised £5 million into a “flexible” fund, effectively abandoning the firm pledge made only months ago.
Back in January, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper vowed to back five specific local investigations into child sexual exploitation, describing it as a top priority in tackling the horrific abuse suffered by victims of grooming gangs.
But in a low-key statement released on the final day before recess, Labour quietly announced that it would no longer guarantee the five inquiries — instead leaving it to local councils to request funding, if they wish.
Conservative MP Robbie Moore condemned the U-turn, saying:
“That is a complete and utter disgrace. The five local inquiries have been kicked into the long grass.”
Opposition sources told GB News they were given just 45 minutes’ notice of the update.
The move has prompted anger and dismay from campaigners and MPs, who say it weakens the Government’s resolve to confront the industrial-scale abuse of vulnerable children — particularly in towns like Rotherham, Telford and Rochdale, where historic failings left victims unprotected for years.
“We won’t let them get away with it”
Responding to the announcement, Conservative Katie Lam MP said:
“Children across Britain have been sexually tortured by gangs of men. We must confront the reality of these crimes and how so many people in positions of power let them go on so long.
“Local inquiries are not good enough — they can’t compel witnesses, they can’t look at themes across the country, and they can’t address national issues like deportation.
“Now the Government is watering them down even further. We won’t let them get away with it.”
New child protection body announced — but no power to compel answers
The news came as Labour unveiled plans for a new Child Protection Authority, which ministers say will provide national leadership on child safeguarding and implement lessons from Alexis Jay’s Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
The body is part of a broader strategy to improve consistency in safeguarding practices across the country and will take a “whole of government” approach.
Minister for Safeguarding, Phillips, insisted victims remain at the heart of government policy, saying:
“It is paramount we do more to protect vulnerable children from the horrors of child sexual abuse and exploitation.
“We will protect more children, find more criminals, and deliver support and justice for more victims and survivors.
“But this is not the end point; it is just the beginning.”
However, critics argue that while the creation of a new national authority is welcome, it does not go far enough — and cannot replace the transparency and accountability of local inquiries that can directly address failures in specific areas.
The Government also announced additional funding for therapeutic support services, doubling the Home Office’s budget for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse — a move welcomed by support charities, but seen by some as overshadowed by the loss of the promised investigations.
Justice deferred — again?
Campaigners and families affected by grooming gang abuse have repeatedly demanded formal inquiries into how such systematic exploitation was allowed to continue for years in towns across England — often amid claims that political correctness and institutional cowardice led authorities to turn a blind eye.
Now, those hopes appear to be on hold once more.
With Labour backing away from its clear-cut promise of five investigations, and replacing it with a vague “flexible” funding pot, victims and their advocates are left asking: what happened to justice?
And will they ever get the answers they deserve?
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