Keir Starmer was in full retreat over grooming gangs last night as he called in ‘Britain’s FBI‘ to investigate.
The Prime Minister was scrambling to appear decisive after resisting action on the scandal for months.
Sir Keir had accused those campaigning for a public inquiry into the rape and sexual abuse of thousands of girls by gangs of mainly Pakistani-heritage men of jumping on a ‘far-Right bandwagon’.
But in a dramatic U-turn at the weekend, he finally admitted a national inquiry was needed. And last night, the Home Office announced an investigation by the National Crime Agency.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the elite agency would lead ‘a major nationwide operation to track down more perpetrators’.
The moves come ahead of a devastating report released today by Whitehall troubleshooter Baroness Casey, which is expected to conclude that years of warnings about the abuse of white girls were ‘institutionally ignored for fear of racism’.
Ministers are said to be concerned that the findings could trigger civil unrest in parts of the country unless they are seen to be acting decisively.
Nevertheless, there were warnings last night of a new ‘whitewash’ after it emerged that Sir Keir’s ‘national’ inquiry could focus on attacks in as few as five communities.
Keir Starmer (pictured) was in full retreat over grooming gangs last night as he called in ‘Britain’s FBI’ to investigate
Oldham grooming gang survivor Samantha Walker-Roberts (pictured) said Sir Keir had only ordered an inquiry because he was ‘backed into a corner’
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper (pictured) said the elite agency would lead ‘a major nationwide operation to track down more perpetrators’
Campaigners believe grooming gangs have been and remain active in as many as 50 towns and cities.
But Whitehall sources said the new inquiry is likely to merely act as an ‘umbrella’ for five local investigations that were already planned. One source said limiting the inquiry would prevent it getting bogged down, adding: ‘We don’t want another seven-year inquiry,’ a reference to the Jay inquiry into child sexual abuse.
Although it will have vital powers to compel public bodies such as councils and the police to give evidence, critics warned that ministers must not restrict its scope.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: ‘The public deserves the truth in full, and without compromise and those who covered this up should be investigated for misconduct in public office.’
Robbie Moore, Tory MP for Keighley and Ilkley who wants an inquiry into grooming in West Yorkshire, said: ‘If this inquiry is to deliver real justice, it must go much further than simply rebranding the five local inquiries already announced by Labour.
‘In my view, this must truly be a people’s inquiry – with investigations in the 50 towns and cities we know have been affected and new accountability mechanisms that can bring about criminal convictions.’
Reform leader Nigel Farage said the inquiry had to be ‘done correctly’. He added: ‘This cannot be a whitewash. It’s time for victims to receive the justice they deserve and for perpetrators to face the full force of the law.’
Oldham grooming gang survivor Samantha Walker-Roberts said Sir Keir had only ordered an inquiry because he was ‘backed into a corner’. She told Times Radio that the PM still does not have survivors’ ‘best interests at heart’.
Baroness Louise Casey (pictured) will lead the Government’s national inquiry into grooming gangs
Sir Keir – who was yesterday pictured enjoying beers with Canadian prime minister Mark Carney at a hockey game ahead of the G7 summit this week in Alberta – has resisted a national inquiry for months.
In January, when Elon Musk was bringing the scandal to global attention, the PM accused critics of ‘calling for inquiries because they want to jump on the bandwagon of the far-Right’.
Only last month, Commons Leader Lucy Powell suggested that grooming gangs were a ‘dog whistle’ issue for racists.
But Rachel Reeves suggested there would be no apology for the U-turn, telling Sky News yesterday the Government’s focus was not on ‘people’s hurt feelings’ but on ‘the victims’.
The Home Office announced funding for five local inquiries earlier this year, but only Oldham has so far been named.
A Home Office source said the new national inquiry would examine ‘at least five’ local areas – and that the inquiry chairman would have the remit to look at other cases. Some Labour councils, such as Bradford, have resisted calls to hold inquiries.
Demands for a new national inquiry began growing at the start of this year, fuelled by tech tycoon Elon Musk’s (pictured) attacks on the Government
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch (pictured) has repeatedly demanded the PM launch a full inquiry
Last night, Ms Cooper said: ‘More than 800 grooming gang cases have already been identified by police after I asked them to look again at cases which had closed too early.
‘Now we are asking the National Crime Agency to lead a major nationwide operation to track down more perpetrators and bring them to justice.’
A Home Office source said the NCA investigation would ‘help to put an end to the culture of denial in local services and authorities about the prevalence of this crime’.
