Labour MPs demand Britain-wide investigation into rape gangs
Date
1/16/2025 6:46:20 AM
(MENAFN) Sarah Champion, a Labour MP for Rotherham and a strong advocate for women and children’s rights, has called for a nationwide inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal and the authorities' handling of it, stressing that only such an investigation could restore public trust. Champion, representing one of Britain’s worst-hit areas, stated that child sexual abuse has become an “endemic” issue that must be prioritized nationally. She pointed out that public confidence in the government's ability to prevent and prosecute child exploitation is eroded.
Champion's call for an inquiry marks a shift in her position, as she had opposed a national inquiry just a week earlier. During a parliamentary debate on a Conservative proposal for a national inquiry, Champion had favored implementing recommendations from the 2022 Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse instead. However, following the failure of the Conservative amendment, which was overwhelmingly rejected by parliament, she joined other MPs in urging for a broader investigation.
Earlier, Paul Waugh, a Labour MP for Rochdale, echoed similar sentiments, stressing that any national inquiry should be sensitive to victims’ trauma and avoid interfering with ongoing police investigations. The grooming gangs scandal, involving primarily Pakistani men targeting vulnerable girls, has exposed severe failures by public authorities to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators, with several inquiries revealing systemic neglect.
The issue has gained renewed attention after criticism from US billionaire Elon Musk, who accused UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, former head of the Crown Prosecution Service, of mishandling the issue during his tenure. Starmer has denied the allegations and rejected calls for a new inquiry.
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