Keir Starmer is under increasing pressure to order a new inquiry into grooming gangs after a second Labour MP in as many days broke ranks to call for a probe.
Sarah Champion, the MP for Rotherham and a long-time campaigner on the abuse of women and girls, warned the prime minister it was “clear that nothing less than a national inquiry into the failings of those in authority… will restore the faith in our safeguarding systems”.
Meanwhile Paul Waugh, the MP for Rochdale, said he could support an inquiry “with some key caveats”.
Both MPs were praised by Donald Trump ally Elon Musk, who sent Westminster into a spiral when he began writing about the issue on his social media platform X last week. The billionaire wrote: “Good for them.”
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer is under increasing pressure to order a new inquiry into grooming gangs (PA Wire)
Sir Keir ordered his MPs to vote against such a probe in the Commons last week, arguing that victims wanted action rather than another lengthy investigation.
But it later emerged that the PM and many of his senior ministers did not take part in the vote themselves.
At the weekend, Labour MP Dan Carden became the first Labour MP to openly call for an inquiry.
But the U-turn by Ms Champion, who has campaigned on child protection for more than a decade, will put Sir Keir under greater pressure over this issue.
She said child sexual abuse was “endemic” in the UK and had to be “recognised as a national priority”.
“The statistics on these crimes show the scale of the problem; the high level of public concern and mistrust only emphasises why addressing all forms of child abuse must be a government priority,” she added.
“Having worked widely with victims and survivors, and front-line professionals, I have long believed that we need to fully understand the nature of this crime and the failures in the response of public bodies if we are to truly protect children.”
Sarah Champion is the MP for Rotherham and a long-time campaigner on the abuse of women and girls (PA Media)
Last week she told MPs: “I say with the deepest respect to all those calling for a national inquiry to instead put all their energy into getting the recommendations (of a previous inquiry) adopted.
“With the best will in the world — you all know me; I am not making a party political point — another inquiry will mean another 10 years of waiting. What I want to see, and what I truly believe we all want to see, is child protection right now.”
Mr Waugh told BBC Politics North West: “I’m not against a national enquiry but it has got to have some key caveats.
“First, is it supported by victims because they are the people who have told their stories and it took a lot of bravery to tell those stories?
“They fought for justice for many years, are they going to have to re-experience their trauma every time they explain this? They have done this time and time again.”
He also said any inquiry should “not cut across live police investigations”.
Mr Carden urged Sir Keir to “use the full power of the state to deliver justice”.
The MP told his local paper Liverpool Echo: “The public compassion for the victims, thousands of young British working-class girls and children is real. The public call for justice must be heeded.”
Downing Street said Sarah Champion’s opinion on whether there should be another grooming gang inquiry “absolutely” carries weight given her extensive experience on the issue but “there will be a range of views”.
No 10 said the government would be “guided and led by the victims and survivors” as it reiterated that taking action on the recommendations from a 2022 report on child sexual abuse was its priority over launching a new investigation.