Former Equalities Watchdog Criticizes Labour for Grooming Gang U-Turn to Avoid Offending Pakistani Voters

Labour has today been accused of making an ‘utterly shameful’ and politically motivated decision to water down a pledge to investigate grooming gangs targeting young girls. 

Sir Trevor Phillips, the former chairman of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, lashed out after Jess Phillips appeared to row back on a pledge made by the Home Secretary in January.

After the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) found institutional failings and tens of thousands of victims across England and Wales, Yvette Cooper announced a £5million plan for probes in Oldham and up to four other pilot areas.

But Ms Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, last night stopped short of saying five inquiries would take place. 

She told MPs: ‘Following feedback from local authorities, the fund will adopt a flexible approach to support both full independent local inquiries and more bespoke work, including local victims’ panels or locally led audits of the handling of historical cases.’

Sir Trevor, now a Sky News presenter, this morning told Times Radio: ‘What the government is doing on that question is utterly, utterly shameful – utterly shameful and it is so obviously political. 

‘People in government who are responsible for this, who are in other ways completely decent people, should really be ashamed of themselves.

‘Because it’s so obvious that they’re not doing this because of the demographic of the people involved, as Katie Lam, the Tory MP, said yesterday, largely Pakistani Muslim in background, and also in Labour held seats and councils who would be offended by it.’

Sir Trevor Phillips, the former chairman of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, lashed out after Jess Phillips appeared to row back on a pledge made by the Home Secretary in January.

Tory MPs said Home Office minister Jess Phillips had used a statement to the Commons yesterday to ‘water down’ commitments made earlier this year.

The Conservatives are calling for a national inquiry into grooming gangs. Tory MP Ms Lam said: ‘Local inquiries are not good enough. Now the Government is watering them down even further.’

She told the Commons: ‘In five towns, these children and their families may get partial answers but I have mentioned five towns in the last few minutes alone and there are at least 45 more.      

‘In those places they will get no answers at all. The British people deserve to know the truth.

‘What darker truths does the suffering of these girls reveal about this country and why won’t the Government find out?’

Conservative MP for Keighley and Ilkley, Robbie Moore, said yesterday’s announcement would ‘let the very councils that failed victims decide whether they want to be investigated’.

Tory MP Robbie Moore said: ‘I am completely infuriated by today’s statement.

The Conservatives are calling for a national inquiry into grooming gangs. Tory MP Katie Lam said: ‘Local inquiries are not good enough. Now the Government is watering them down even further.’

‘Here we are on the very last sitting day before the Easter recess and the Government have all but admitted that no real progress whatsoever has been made on their promise to launch five local rape gang inquiries before Easter.’   

Asked if it was true to suggest ministers were watering down their plans after the lack of update on the plans, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told Times Radio: ‘No, it’s not the truth.

‘The truth is that we are listening to victims and authorities around the country about the need to give them the right tools to tackle it, this very pernicious problem, in their own areas.

‘We believe that decisions are best made by those with skin in the game in their own communities, people who live in those communities, who understand what is happening there.’

Ms Nandy said ministers did not want to ‘impose one system from Whitehall, which might give us a decent press release in the media but doesn’t actually tackle the problem’.