LABOUR has abandoned local grooming gang inquiries to appease its Asian voters, a former equalities czar claimed yesterday.
Sir Trevor Phillips called ministers “utterly, utterly shameful” for watering down a series of investigations into the scandal.
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A £5million fund announced in January for five inquiries into child rape gangs can now be diverted to other projects such as victims’ panels.
The Home Office called it a “flexible approach” which had been requested by the councils involved.
While Labour expects some inquiries to go ahead, the apparent softening in approach sparked a backlash.
Sir Trevor, who previously chaired the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said yesterday government figures should be ashamed of themselves over the move.
He told Times Radio: “Because it’s so obvious that they’re not doing this because of the demographic of the people involved — largely Pakistani Muslim in background, and also in Labour-held seats and councils who would be offended by it.
“And that’s clearly the reason that they’re not pursuing this. And it is utterly shameful, given what has been done to these children by these men.”
At the last election many Muslim voters shunned Labour over its stance on the Israel-Gaza war.
The abuse of young white girls by predominantly South Asian men in a string of northern towns prompted calls for a national inquiry.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: “How can the very councils that failed to stop the rape gangs be trusted to investigate their own failures?”
Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips last night denied that the government was watering down its response to the problem — blaming “too much party political misinformation”.
She said: “We will leave no stone unturned in pursuit of justice for victims and will be unrelenting in our crackdown on sick predators and perpetrators who prey on vulnerable children.”
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