“Government Accused of Bowing to Pressure on Grooming Investigations”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has confirmed that the UK government remains committed to launching local inquiries into grooming gangs, following criticism from opposition parties and concerns among Labour MPs about perceived changes in the government’s approach.
The clarification comes after a recent statement by Home Office Minister Jess Phillips in the House of Commons, where she outlined a “flexible approach” to local inquiries. Phillips stated that this could include independent inquiries, locally led audits, or victims’ panels tailored to each area. Her comments were interpreted by some political opponents as a softening of Labour’s January commitment to support formal inquiries in five specific areas, prompting accusations that the government was attempting to avoid political backlash in certain constituencies.
In response, Cooper rejected the notion of any policy reversal, attributing the controversy to what she described as “party political misinformation.” She emphasized that the government remains focused on tackling child sexual exploitation and supporting both local inquiries and police investigations.
“We’ve already said we’ll support Oldham to have a local inquiry,” Cooper said on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “We are currently drawing up the framework for further local inquiries. That has not changed.”
Cooper also addressed recent criticism from Trevor Phillips, former chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, who described the government’s actions as politically motivated and “shameful.” In a separate radio interview, Phillips suggested the decision to avoid a national inquiry might be influenced by the demographics of the communities involved. Cooper dismissed his comments as “total nonsense,” reiterating that the government is enhancing its response to child exploitation through multiple channels, including increased police investigations.
The government’s original commitment, made in January, included £5 million in funding for local investigations, with Oldham named as one of the areas to receive support. The remaining areas have not yet been announced. Cooper stated that the government may support inquiries in more than five areas, depending on local needs.
Labour MPs have reportedly received significant public feedback and have expressed concern that ambiguity around the government’s position allowed political opponents to frame the issue as a retreat from earlier promises. Some MPs urged the government to clarify its stance more directly to prevent what they described as the “weaponisation” of the issue by rival parties.
The government has resisted calls for another national inquiry, arguing that a comprehensive, seven-year investigation led by Professor Alexis Jay already examined institutional failures in responding to child sexual abuse. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, announced that a judicial review into the government’s decision not to hold a second national inquiry is expected to be launched in the coming days.
Cooper concluded by highlighting the priority placed on police-led action: “The most important thing is justice for survivors. That means more investigations, reviews of past cases, and ensuring perpetrators are brought to justice.”
Source article originally posted here: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/apr/10/yvette-cooper-grooming-gang-inquiries-misinformation
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