The grooming gangs scandal should not be allowed to become a political football - Jayne Dowle
Yet again, it would seem, our most vulnerable are being ignored or sidelined; but this time it’s not pensioners losing their winter fuel allowance, but children and young people, overwhelmingly girls, not taken seriously by those with the power to make a difference.
However, the furore which has followed serves an important purpose. It has reminded us that the 20 recommendations arising from the existing seven-year inquiry into child sex abuse, headed by social work veteran Professor Alexis Jay, which published its final report in 2022, have not yet been acted upon.
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Hide AdSadly, there were complex parliamentary reasons for the whole debacle calling for a new national investigation. It came about because the Conservatives attempted to attach an amendment, demanding a fresh inquiry, to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.


This proposed piece of legislation sets out a whole series of measures aimed at protecting children, tougher rules around home-schooling, as well as those contentious changes to academies which would see many of their freedoms taken away.
If the grooming gangs amendment had passed – in the event, it was voted down by 364 votes to 111 votes, a margin of 253 – it would have killed the whole Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
So, in reality, it was largely procedural. Yet although the amendment failed, it’s done its job, whipping up yet another populist backlash, with Labour MPs who voted against the proposal facing fierce criticism in their constituencies and social media aflame with blame.
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Hide AdIt beggars belief that the safety and security of the most defenceless members of society – all children, girls and boys, wherever they live – are being kicked around like political footballs, their futures predicated on political egos.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch argued the government risks fuelling accusations of “a cover up” by refusing another inquiry.
But Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer countered that several inquiries had already been held into abuse carried out by gangs of men and a new national investigation would only delay the action the victims wanted.
On the global sidelines, multi-billionaire and owner of social media site X (formerly Twitter) Elon Musk posted a series of messages accusing the Prime Minister of failing to prosecute gangs that systematically groomed and raped young girls.
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Hide AdAnd Musk also called for safeguarding minister Jess Phillips to be jailed. This came after Phiilips rejected a request for the Home Office to order a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham. She said the local council should commission an inquiry instead, as happened in Rotherham and Telford, where grooming gangs were found to have abused countless children and young people.
Even the Tories weighed in then and criticised Musk for "sharing things that are factually inaccurate".
Can we all please just take a step back? At the centre of this unedifying spectacle are young people, yes, overwhelmingly girls, who found themselves in the hands of dangerous predators. Their lives have been irrevocably altered. Many will never recover from their ordeals. Should politicians not be considering this, instead of shouting at each other?
Political infighting and the interference of Elon Musk aside, rights and justice should come first, and officials – including local councils and the police – must not only be held to account, but solutions found.
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Hide AdThe campaign group Act on IICSA (Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse), which is chaired by Professor Jay, also warned against “politicising” the matter.
Disinformation and dog whistle politics cloud the air, forcing yet another polarising issue when all parties – political or otherwise – should be pulling together. Which is why Jay’s existing recommendations must be brought to the forefront without delay or further provocation.
Act on IICSA argues that this should start with establishing a Child Protection Agency. This would be a single place to support, inform and monitor frontline professionals responsible for the protection of children. The group believes that this would be “much more effective than the current system, which allows responses to be lost in overlapping priorities”.
The government says it is working “at pace” to deliver on such reform. We need to see evidence of this, and fast.
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Hide AdHowever, it should go deeper. This is not ‘someone else’s problem’ – abuse and sexual violence occurs across every community. We also need clear commitment and leadership on tackling attitudes between the sexes, challenging pre-conceptions and bringing about lasting change.
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