British lawmakers rejected a proposal for a national inquiry into the U.K. grooming gang scandal. The decision came after concerns were raised about the voting process and amidst global attention on the issue, championed by Elon Musk.
The House of Commons discussed an amendment calling for a formal investigation into the scandal, which exposed a pattern of sexual abuse by men, largely of Pakistani origin, targeting girls in northern English towns over a prolonged period.
The amendment was linked to a bill concerning children’s welfare and education, supported by the Labour government. Prime Minister Keir Starmer cautioned that approving the amendment would jeopardize the entire bill. Ultimately, the amendment was defeated by a significant margin, with 364 votes against and 111 in favor, as reported by Sky News.
Starmer had previously slammed “lies and misinformation” without naming Musk directly, and had accused U.K. politicians of jumping on a “bandwagon of the far-right.”
On Wednesday, he again accused Badenoch of jumping on a bandwagon and urged lawmakers to make sure the broader bill passed.
“One of the provisions in the bill is to protect children vulnerable today who are out of school to prevent abuses ever taking those children out of school. I implore members opposite to defy the misleading leadership of the Leader of the Opposition and vote for a really important bill.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
