Labour MP for Rotherham, Sarah Champion, has called for a full national inquiry into grooming gangs in the United Kingdom. Champion stated that only a full investigation would be able to “restore faith in our safeguarding systems,” adding to calls from other politicians such as the Conservatives and Reform UK.
Champion’s comments come after tech entrepreneur Elon Musk took to social media to criticise the Prime Minister and other Labour figures, prompting Downing Street to stress that while opinions such as Champion’s carry weight, priority would be given to the implementation of recommendations from a previous inquiry. Number 10 also noted that “victims and survivors” would guide the government on what measures are taken, adding that a range of opinions exist on the necessity of a new inquiry.
Champion, who has campaigned for child protection for more than ten years, has described child sexual abuse as “endemic” in the UK and has called for a national inquiry into the issue in order to better understand the nature of the crime and to identify failures in the responses of public authorities to this issue.
In 2014, an independent report by Professor Alexis Jay concluded that up to 1,400 girls had been subjected to abuse in Rotherham by gangs of men, predominantly of Pakistani descent. Despite calls for another inquiry by some, Professor Jay has rejected the idea of another national inquiry, arguing that victims want to see action taken on her recommendations and that a new inquiry would only cause delays. Labour ministers have stressed that the implementation of Professor Jay’s recommendations remains their priority for the time being
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