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| Sir Keir Starmer announces national inquiry into grooming gangs | Sir Keir Starmer announces national inquiry into grooming gangs |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The prime minister has announced there will be a full national statutory inquiry into grooming gangs. | The prime minister has announced there will be a full national statutory inquiry into grooming gangs. |
| Sir Keir Starmer said he had accepted the recommendations of an audit by Baroness Louise Casey into the data and evidence on the nature and scale of group-based child sexual abuse. | Sir Keir Starmer said he had accepted the recommendations of an audit by Baroness Louise Casey into the data and evidence on the nature and scale of group-based child sexual abuse. |
| Baroness Casey has recommended a national inquiry is required, he said. The inquiry will cover England and Wales. | Baroness Casey has recommended a national inquiry is required, he said. The inquiry will cover England and Wales. |
| For months, Sir Keir has faced criticism for not being willing to set one up. | For months, Sir Keir has faced criticism for not being willing to set one up. |
| 'The abuse was almost daily' - grooming survivors share their stories | |
| Grooming gang guilty of raping and abusing girls | |
| At the start of the year, the government dismissed calls for a national inquiry, arguing it had already been examined in a seven-year inquiry led by Professor Alexis Jay. | At the start of the year, the government dismissed calls for a national inquiry, arguing it had already been examined in a seven-year inquiry led by Professor Alexis Jay. |
| But speaking to reporters on his way to the G7 summit, which begins in Canada tomorrow, the prime minister said: "I've never said we should not look again at any issue." | But speaking to reporters on his way to the G7 summit, which begins in Canada tomorrow, the prime minister said: "I've never said we should not look again at any issue." |
| He added that Baroness Casey had originally thought a new inquiry was not necessary, but she had changed her mind having looked into it in recent months. | He added that Baroness Casey had originally thought a new inquiry was not necessary, but she had changed her mind having looked into it in recent months. |
| "She's come to the view there should be a national inquiry on the basis of what she's seen," Sir Keir said. | "She's come to the view there should be a national inquiry on the basis of what she's seen," Sir Keir said. |
| "I've read every single word of her report, and I'm going to accept her recommendation. | "I've read every single word of her report, and I'm going to accept her recommendation. |
| "I think that's the right thing to do, on the basis of what she has put in her audit. | "I think that's the right thing to do, on the basis of what she has put in her audit. |
| "I asked her to do that job, to double-check on this. | "I asked her to do that job, to double-check on this. |
| "She's done that job for me, and having read her report… I shall now implement her recommendation." | "She's done that job for me, and having read her report… I shall now implement her recommendation." |
| He added that it "will take a bit of time" to set up the inquiry, but added that "it will be statutory under the Inquiries Act". | He added that it "will take a bit of time" to set up the inquiry, but added that "it will be statutory under the Inquiries Act". |
| This means the inquiry will be able to compel witnesses to provide evidence. | This means the inquiry will be able to compel witnesses to provide evidence. |
| A senior government source said the inquiry would "co-ordinate a series of targeted local investigations". | A senior government source said the inquiry would "co-ordinate a series of targeted local investigations". |
| This will include new local investigations, which will take place even if local authorities don't want one. | This will include new local investigations, which will take place even if local authorities don't want one. |
| The local investigations will have the power to compel evidence to be given and witnesses to appear. | The local investigations will have the power to compel evidence to be given and witnesses to appear. |
| Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to make a statement in the Commons on Monday, and Baroness Casey's report will be published alongside this. | Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to make a statement in the Commons on Monday, and Baroness Casey's report will be published alongside this. |
| The grooming gangs issue was thrust into the spotlight at the start of this year, fuelled partly by tech billionaire Elon Musk, who criticised the prime minister for not calling a national inquiry. | The grooming gangs issue was thrust into the spotlight at the start of this year, fuelled partly by tech billionaire Elon Musk, who criticised the prime minister for not calling a national inquiry. |
| A row between the two centred on high-profile cases where groups of men, mainly of Pakistani descent, were convicted of sexually abusing and raping predominantly young white girls in towns such as Rotherham and Rochdale. | A row between the two centred on high-profile cases where groups of men, mainly of Pakistani descent, were convicted of sexually abusing and raping predominantly young white girls in towns such as Rotherham and Rochdale. |
| In January, the government stopped short of launching a statutory national inquiry into grooming gangs, despite the idea receiving support from some Labour MPs. | In January, the government stopped short of launching a statutory national inquiry into grooming gangs, despite the idea receiving support from some Labour MPs. |
| Instead, Cooper announced a "rapid" three-month audit, led by Baroness Casey, into the data and evidence on the nature and scale of group-based child sexual abuse. | Instead, Cooper announced a "rapid" three-month audit, led by Baroness Casey, into the data and evidence on the nature and scale of group-based child sexual abuse. |
| Cooper said the review would include examining the demographics of the gangs and their victims, as well as "cultural drivers" behind the offending. | Cooper said the review would include examining the demographics of the gangs and their victims, as well as "cultural drivers" behind the offending. |
| The home secretary also unveiled plans for five government-backed local inquiries - to be held in Oldham and four other areas yet to be named. | The home secretary also unveiled plans for five government-backed local inquiries - to be held in Oldham and four other areas yet to be named. |
| Baroness Casey's review, which began in January, was due to take three months and had been delayed. | Baroness Casey's review, which began in January, was due to take three months and had been delayed. |
| Earlier this month, Home Office Minister Jess Phillips apologised for the delay, saying Baroness Casey had requested a "short extension" and that the report was expected "very shortly". | Earlier this month, Home Office Minister Jess Phillips apologised for the delay, saying Baroness Casey had requested a "short extension" and that the report was expected "very shortly". |
| The Conservatives have long been calling for a nationwide inquiry into grooming gangs, with the power to compel people to give evidence. | The Conservatives have long been calling for a nationwide inquiry into grooming gangs, with the power to compel people to give evidence. |
| Reacting to Saturday's announcement, the party's leader, Kemi Badenoch, said: "Keir Starmer doesn't know what he thinks unless an official report has told him so. | Reacting to Saturday's announcement, the party's leader, Kemi Badenoch, said: "Keir Starmer doesn't know what he thinks unless an official report has told him so. |
| "Just like he dismissed concerns about the winter fuel payment and then had to U-turn. | "Just like he dismissed concerns about the winter fuel payment and then had to U-turn. |
| "I've been repeatedly calling for a full national inquiry since January. | "I've been repeatedly calling for a full national inquiry since January. |
| "It's about time he recognised he made a mistake and apologise for six wasted months." | "It's about time he recognised he made a mistake and apologise for six wasted months." |
| Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called the decision "a welcome U-turn". | Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called the decision "a welcome U-turn". |
| In a post on X, Farage wrote: "A full statutory enquiry, done correctly, will expose the multiple failings of the British establishment. I repeat the words 'done correctly' - this cannot be a whitewash. | In a post on X, Farage wrote: "A full statutory enquiry, done correctly, will expose the multiple failings of the British establishment. I repeat the words 'done correctly' - 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." | "It's time for victims to receive the justice they deserve and for perpetrators to face the full force of the law." |
| Former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe said on X that "none of this" would have happened without Elon Musk, writing: "No inquiry, no justice, nothing." | Former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe said on X that "none of this" would have happened without Elon Musk, writing: "No inquiry, no justice, nothing." |
| "He [Musk] deserves huge credit for that," Lowe added. | "He [Musk] deserves huge credit for that," Lowe added. |
| Musk replied with a heart emoji. | Musk replied with a heart emoji. |