Starmer Shifts Position on Grooming Gangs Inquiry Following Public and Political Pressure

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has defended a significant policy reversal after announcing a statutory national inquiry into grooming gangs in England, following earlier resistance from his government. The move comes after growing political and public pressure, as well as fresh revelations from an independent audit led by Baroness Louise Casey. Her findings exposed widespread institutional failures, cover-ups, and inadequate responses by authorities in dealing with child sexual exploitation, prompting widespread calls for stronger accountability measures.

Initially, the Labour government had rejected the need for a new inquiry, pointing to the 2022 independent review conducted by Professor Alexis Jay, which had already made sweeping recommendations. Starmer and his ministers had argued that efforts should focus on implementing those recommendations rather than launching further investigations that could delay tangible change. At the time, Starmer also criticised opposition figures for using the issue for political leverage, maintaining that enough evidence and direction already existed to move forward with reforms.

However, the Casey report changed the conversation. The depth of systemic failure it uncovered, along with growing pressure from survivors, their families, and advocacy groups, led the government to reconsider its stance. In defending the U-turn, Starmer said it was critical to respond to new evidence and ensure that survivors’ voices were heard. He stressed the inquiry’s importance in delivering justice and preventing similar failures in the future.

The newly announced inquiry will have statutory powers, meaning it can compel witnesses to testify and demand access to documents. This is a key difference from earlier reviews, which lacked the authority to enforce full cooperation. The inquiry will examine the full scope of grooming gang activity, assess how institutions responded to victims, and evaluate the current effectiveness of safeguarding policies. Notably, it will also address the collection of ethnicity data by police, a point raised in the Casey report as essential for understanding the nature and extent of exploitation.

While many victims and campaigners welcomed the move as long overdue, some remain sceptical. Critics argue that only a truly independent inquiry can restore public trust and provide the level of transparency needed. Starmer has promised to adopt all of Casey’s recommendations, including reforms in data collection and law enforcement practices. The success of this inquiry, however, will depend on the government’s willingness to follow through with meaningful changes beyond the investigation itself.