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Gareth Lewis, BBC Wales News Political editor, revealed that the leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, Darren Millar, accused his fellow politicians of shutting him down when he called for a Wales-wide inquiry into grooming gangs. He expressed gratitude for the statutory inquiry announced by the prime minister, but emphasized that it was long overdue. Despite the rejection of calls for a Welsh inquiry by the Senedd in February, all members voted unanimously for the Welsh government to consider one.
In response to the new inquiry, Millar highlighted the importance of not delaying justice for victims who have bravely spoken out about their traumatic experiences. He recounted how other politicians had attempted to silence his calls for an inquiry earlier in the year, fueling his determination to advocate for vulnerable victims of these crimes. Millar stressed that Wales should not be treated as an “afterthought” in the context of the new inquiry.
Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, faced criticism from opposition parties in Westminster for his U-turn on a full national statutory inquiry into grooming gangs, following months of rejecting the proposal. The change in stance came after an audit by Baroness Louise Casey on the nature and scale of group-based child sexual abuse. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to address the House of Commons on Wednesday, alongside the publication of the Casey report.
Amidst the discussions surrounding the new inquiry, a grooming gang victim accused the Senedd’s presiding officer, Elin Jones, of “downplaying” her experience when it was raised in January. The clash between the Welsh Tory leader and Jones stemmed from the revelation of abuse survivor Emily Vaughn’s experiences, leading to accusations of minimizing the victim’s trauma. Jones defended her actions, stating that she was aiming to protect abuse victims and was unaware that Vaughn had shared her story publicly before. Millar viewed the new inquiry as a validation of Ms. Vaughn’s courage and bravery, following a previous independent inquiry led by Prof Alexis Jay in 2022
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