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| Starmer and Badenoch clash over call for grooming inquiry | Starmer and Badenoch clash over call for grooming inquiry |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| PMQs: Sir Keir Starmer accuses Kemi Badenoch of "jumping on bandwagon" about calls for inquiry | PMQs: Sir Keir Starmer accuses Kemi Badenoch of "jumping on bandwagon" about calls for inquiry |
| Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has told Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer he risks fuelling accusations of "a cover up" by refusing to hold a national inquiry into grooming gangs. | Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has told Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer he risks fuelling accusations of "a cover up" by refusing to hold a national inquiry into grooming gangs. |
| She also accused the PM of not wanting questions asked "of Labour politicians who may be complicit". | She also accused the PM of not wanting questions asked "of Labour politicians who may be complicit". |
| Sir Keir argued that several inquires had already been held into abuse carried out by gangs of men, predominantly of Pakistani heritage, and that a new probe would only delay the action the victims wanted. | Sir Keir argued that several inquires had already been held into abuse carried out by gangs of men, predominantly of Pakistani heritage, and that a new probe would only delay the action the victims wanted. |
| And he said he would "call out" anyone who prevented victims of sexual abuse from coming forward. | And he said he would "call out" anyone who prevented victims of sexual abuse from coming forward. |
| The Conservatives have tabled an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill which calls for a national inquiry. | The Conservatives have tabled an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill which calls for a national inquiry. |
| In the unlikely event the amendment is approved the bill, which includes measures aimed at protecting children and tougher rules around home-schooling, as well as changes to academies, would be scuppered. | In the unlikely event the amendment is approved the bill, which includes measures aimed at protecting children and tougher rules around home-schooling, as well as changes to academies, would be scuppered. |
| Sir Keir said it was "shocking" Conservative MPs would try to block a bill aimed at helping vulnerable children by voting for the Tory amendment and accused Badenoch of "weak leadership". | Sir Keir said it was "shocking" Conservative MPs would try to block a bill aimed at helping vulnerable children by voting for the Tory amendment and accused Badenoch of "weak leadership". |
| Making her argument for a fresh inquiry during Prime Minister's Questions, Badenoch said "no one has joined the dots, no one has the total picture". | Making her argument for a fresh inquiry during Prime Minister's Questions, Badenoch said "no one has joined the dots, no one has the total picture". |
| She noted that the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, which lasted for seven years and concluded in 2022, had not had a specific focus on grooming gangs. | She noted that the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, which lasted for seven years and concluded in 2022, had not had a specific focus on grooming gangs. |
| "We don't need to repeat the work that has already been done. Let's look at new areas." | "We don't need to repeat the work that has already been done. Let's look at new areas." |
| She said a new inquiry could explore "if there was a racial and cultural motivation to some of these crimes". | She said a new inquiry could explore "if there was a racial and cultural motivation to some of these crimes". |
| "Be a leader, not a lawyer," she urged the prime minister - a reference to his job before coming into politics. | "Be a leader, not a lawyer," she urged the prime minister - a reference to his job before coming into politics. |
| Sir Keir said "reasonable people could agree or disagree" on whether there should be a fresh probe and acknowledged that there were mixed views among victims and survivors. | Sir Keir said "reasonable people could agree or disagree" on whether there should be a fresh probe and acknowledged that there were mixed views among victims and survivors. |
| However, he accused Badenoch of only recently taking an interest in the subject and said she had failed to take action when she was in government. | However, he accused Badenoch of only recently taking an interest in the subject and said she had failed to take action when she was in government. |
| "I can't recall her once raising this issue in the House, once calling for a national inquiry," he said. | "I can't recall her once raising this issue in the House, once calling for a national inquiry," he said. |
| The current row over the subject was triggered after GB News reported that the government had refused Oldham Council's request for a government-led inquiry into historical child sexual exploitation. | The current row over the subject was triggered after GB News reported that the government had refused Oldham Council's request for a government-led inquiry into historical child sexual exploitation. |
| Elon Musk, the tech billionaire and adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, has made numerous incendiary interventions on the subject including accusing Sir Keir of being "complicit in the rape of Britain". | |
| Following Prime Minister's Questions, he posted a message on social media urging MPs to back an inquiry adding "hundreds of thousands of little girls in Britain who were, and are still are, being systematically, horrifically gang-raped deserve some justice in this world". | |
| Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, who turned down the request, has argued that in her experience locally-led inquiries were more effective at implementing change. | Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, who turned down the request, has argued that in her experience locally-led inquiries were more effective at implementing change. |
| However, speaking to Sky News, external she said "nothing is off the table" adding: "If the victims come forward to me in this victims panel and they say, 'actually, we think there needs to be a national inquiry into this', I'll listen to them." | However, speaking to Sky News, external she said "nothing is off the table" adding: "If the victims come forward to me in this victims panel and they say, 'actually, we think there needs to be a national inquiry into this', I'll listen to them." |
| Following Prime Minister's Question, a Downing Street spokesman said that "significant" engagement with victims groups had shown "they do not want to see a national inquiry, they want action taken to deliver justice". | Following Prime Minister's Question, a Downing Street spokesman said that "significant" engagement with victims groups had shown "they do not want to see a national inquiry, they want action taken to deliver justice". |
| "But as the prime minister said on Monday we will always remain open-minded. We will always listen to local authorities who want to take forward inquiries, or indeed further allegations that need to be followed up." | "But as the prime minister said on Monday we will always remain open-minded. We will always listen to local authorities who want to take forward inquiries, or indeed further allegations that need to be followed up." |
| MPs are currently debating the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill and will vote on the Conservatives' amendment in the evening. | MPs are currently debating the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill and will vote on the Conservatives' amendment in the evening. |
| The bill would require all councils to hold a register of children who are not in school. | The bill would require all councils to hold a register of children who are not in school. |
| It would also prevent parents from having having an automatic right to take their children out of school for home education if the young person is subject to a child protection investigation or suspected of being at risk of significant harm. | It would also prevent parents from having having an automatic right to take their children out of school for home education if the young person is subject to a child protection investigation or suspected of being at risk of significant harm. |
| Conservatives have been critical of sections of the bill which states that all teachers should be part of the same core pay and conditions framework whether they work in a local authority-run school or an academy. | Conservatives have been critical of sections of the bill which states that all teachers should be part of the same core pay and conditions framework whether they work in a local authority-run school or an academy. |
| Academies - which are independent of local authorities – currently have the freedom to set their own pay and conditions for staff, and some academies exceed the national pay scales for teachers. | Academies - which are independent of local authorities – currently have the freedom to set their own pay and conditions for staff, and some academies exceed the national pay scales for teachers. |
| Conservative shadow education secretary Laura Trott called the move "educational vandalism" arguing that academies would lose freedoms that can help to recruit teachers and improve pupil outcomes in challenging areas. | Conservative shadow education secretary Laura Trott called the move "educational vandalism" arguing that academies would lose freedoms that can help to recruit teachers and improve pupil outcomes in challenging areas. |