Sir Keir Starmer to personally intervene to try and save grooming gangs inquiry

Downing Street was forced to deny the inquiry had reached crisis point yesterday after four victims and two potential chairmen pulled out.

Ex-police officer Jim Gamble followed Annie Hudson, a former director of social services, in withdrawing his candidacy to be chair, blaming people “using and abusing” their position and leaving victims “disrespected and misinformed”.

He also hit out at politicians prioritising “their own petty personal or political issues” and “playing games” with the inquiry.

This reportedly leaves the Government without any candidates. A Home Office spokesperson said: “We are disappointed that candidates to chair that inquiry have withdrawn. This is an extremely sensitive topic, and we have to take the time to appoint the best person suitable for the role.”

In the House of Commons yesterday, Sir Keir announced that Dame Louise Casey was being brought in to assist in launching the faltering investigation.

Baroness Casey, a former victims’ commissioner, led a “national audit” of grooming gangs earlier in the year, and urged Sir Keir to launch a national inquiry after finding “many examples” of organisations shying away from discussion of “ethnicity or cultural factors” in such offences “for fear of appearing racist”.

Two of the survivors who have quit are from Yorkshire, Fiona Goddard, who has bravely waived her anonymity to talk about her abuse in Bradford, and a victim from Rotherham, who was raped when she was a teenager.

Ms Goddard told The Yorkshire Post that she had withdrawn over instances of “condescending and controlling language” used towards survivors.

In Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch raised the case of Ms Goddard, saying: “Being dismissed and contradicted by a minister when you’re telling the truth takes you right back to that feeling of not being believed all over again.

“Fiona’s question is simple: ‘What’s the point in speaking up if we’re just going to be called liars?’”

Sir Keir replied: “Women and girls were abused and exploited by predatory gangs of men, and survivors have been ignored for many years including by the state that of course is supposed to protect them.

“My vow to Fiona and them is that this national inquiry will change that and I do acknowledge that in recent days some members including Fiona have decided to step away from the panel.

“I say this, should they wish to return, the door will always be open, but even if they do not, we owe it to them and to Fiona and to the country to answer the concerns that they have raised.

“The inquiry is not and will never be watered down. Its scope will not change. It will examine the ethnicity and religion of the offenders and we will find the right person to chair the inquiry.”

A survivor, speaking anonymously through her solicitors, Leeds-based Switalskis, said: “I remain hopeful that the government has taken seriously the concerns raised by fellow survivors who have stepped away, and that these voices will lead to constructive improvements in both the process and the overall outcome of the inquiry.

“I’m calling on the government to remember that they are dealing with real people who have suffered horrendous abuse. Survivors should be at the centre of this inquiry, and political debates must be left at the door.”