Andy Burnham has said he would support a new national inquiry into grooming gangs if the government launched one after pressure from Elon Musk.
The Greater Manchester mayor pointed to an ongoing review into the scandal in Manchester which he launched after being elected in 2017.
“Nobody has turned away, we have faced up directly to the failings and, as a result of the review… there have been arrests, charges and convictions,” Mr Burnham said.
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But, with the Conservatives, Reform UK and the Tesla tycoon all piling pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to launch a national inquiry into grooming gangs, Mr Burnham told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I wouldn’t stand against a further national review if that was deemed necessary.”
Critics of recent calls for a new national inquiry have said there has already been one, conducted by Professor Alexis Jay, with none of the 2022 recommendations having been implemented.
And Mr Burnham pointed to Prof Jay’s move to distance herself from calls to set up a new national inquiry, instead calling for Labour to commit to a “clear timeline” for adopting the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA).
Her campaign group, Act on IICSA, warned against “politicising” sexual violence and hit out at “misinformation” being spread about the scandal.
The IICSA was launched in 2015 and investigated grooming gangs as well as abuse in schools and churches, concluding in 2022 with 20 recommendations to protect children.
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It looked into abuse by organised groups following multiple convictions of sexual offences against children across the UK between 2010-2014, including in Rotherham, Cornwall, Derbyshire, Rochdale and Bristol and described the sexual abuse of children as an “epidemic that leaves tens of thousands of victims in its poisonous wake”.
Prof Jay had previously led an inquiry into the abuse of an estimated 1,400 children in Rotherham from 1997 to 2013, predominantly by men of Pakistani heritage.
In a statement on Sunday, Act on IICSA said: “Politicising the issue of sexual violence fails to acknowledge its lifelong impact and hinders the implementation of vital and urgent overhaul to our systems required.”
Prof Jay said: “Our mission is not to call for new inquiries but to advocate for the full implementation of IICSA’s recommendations.”
Labour has committed to implementing the recommendations of the IICSA, and a Home Office spokesman said: “No child should ever suffer sexual abuse or exploitation and it is paramount we do more to protect vulnerable children – which is why we are working at pace across government to drive forward real action to implement the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.”
Speaking on Monday morning, Mr Burnham said: “There is a case for a relentless focus, and I understand when people say things because feelings run very high, understandably so, on the issue. But it is about dealing with it in a relentless way.
“There was a public inquiry, and I know the head of that inquiry has said the recommendations she made should have been implemented by the last government and should be implemented now.
“All I can say from here is, for us, we must complete the Greater Manchester review, police investigations are ongoing, I wouldn’t want anything to cut across those, but I wouldn’t stand against a further national review if that was deemed necessary.”
It comes after Kemi Badenoch called for a national inquiry into the UK’s “rape gangs scandal”, after home office minister Jess Phillips denied requests to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham.
The Tory leader said a review is “long overdue”, despite the Conservative Party having rejected a similar request from Oldham council while in power.
US billionaire Mr Musk said Ms Phillips “deserves to be in prison”, following her response to Oldham Council.
He also appeared to place blame at the prime minister’s door, as he argued that “rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice” during Sir Keir’s time as director of public prosecutions.
And Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has now committed to launching an independent inquiry into grooming gangs if it wins the next general election, piling further pressure on the government to act.
Sir Keir is on Monday expected to defend his record over the grooming gangs scandal when he takes questions following a speech on the NHS.
