Oldham council leader speaks out after national grooming gangs inquiry announced

Yahoo

9 hours ago

The leader of Oldham council has welcomed Sir Keir Starmer decision to launch a full national inquiry into grooming gangs.
Arooj Shah said it is 'right and proper' to hold the statutory probe which the Prime Minister announced on Saturday (January 15). It comes after the government resisted calls to implement a full national inquiry, including a request from Oldham council last year.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham commissioned an independent review into historic child sexual exploitation in Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale eight years ago. However, there was criticism of the inquiry's 'limited scope' into historic cases in Oldham.
READ MORE: 'I see mums who can't afford to feed their children - how can they afford this?'
READ MORE: Person injured after car crashes into house as firefighters race to scene
This led to calls from opposition councillors for a government-led inquiry, but the request was repeatedly voted down by Labour.
Last year, when Labour lost its majority at Oldham council, its leader agreed to support calls for a national inquiry as part of deal.
Nevertheless, the government rejected the request, arguing that local inquiries would be more effective than a national probe.
The decision was heavily criticised - including by the world's richest man Elon Musk - leading ministers to launch a 'rapid review'.
That audit of historic cases, which was conducted by Baroness Louise Casey, has now recommended a full national inquiry takes place.
Sir Keir's decision to accept this recommendation comes days after the conviction of seven men who abused two girls in Rochdale.
Following the trial, Rochdale MP Paul Waugh called for an inquiry with statutory powers to compel witnesses to come forward.
Earlier this year, the Home Secretary announced a £5m support package to help Oldham and four other areas fund a local inquiry.
Responding to the Prime Minister's decision to hold a full national statutory inquiry, Coun Shah suggested that this local inquiry, which will be chaired by Tom Crowther KC who previously led a similar probe in Telford, will still go ahead alongside the new national inquiry.
She said: "I welcome the Prime Minister's decision to launch a full national statutory inquiry into child sexual exploitation (CSE).
"It is right and proper to respect the findings from Baroness Casey as part of her National Audit on Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.
"We met with Baroness Casey during the review period to put forward the concerns of local survivors and those who have been affected.
"We used this opportunity to stress the importance of an inquiry which compelled witnesses and had statutory powers, and the need for accountability for professionals who were complicit in the abuse.
"We have not shied away from the issue of CSE in Oldham; we are and will continue to confront the issue without prejudice.
"We know that child abuse is perpetrated by people of all races and religions, and is inflicted on people of all races and religions.
"As I have always said, that doesn't mean we shouldn't ask questions about any drivers of this very specific type of offending.
"We need to do more to understand why this particular pattern of abuse is more prevalent among some groups of men.
"To say so is not racist. It is what we must confront if there is to be justice.
"Nobody I have spoken to, from any community, wants to see anything other than for these men to be punished to the full extent of the law.
"Just in the past week, seven men have been convicted of these offences. I hope when they lock these disgusting men up, they throw away the key.
"This is why we are already in the process of commissioning Tom Crowther KC to chair a local inquiry into CSE.
"Our priority now is to work with the Home Office to understand how our local inquiry is aligned with the national inquiry to get the answers that survivors and those affected so desperately want and deserve."