Latest news with #groomingGangs
The Sun
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Grooming gangs national inquiry demands grow as Tories force vote on new probe into ‘disgusting' crimes
LABOUR MPs will be put under pressure as Tories force a vote on holding a national grooming gangs inquiry. The Conservatives are tabling an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill which calls for a statutory inquiry into the scandal later this month. 3 3 They say Labour's plan for five local inquiries is inadequate because the scale of abuse was much wider. And they do not have the power to summon witnesses and requisition evidence. It will put Labour MPs in a tricky position as some have gone against the party to call for a national inquiry. And it could trigger a Red Wall rebellion. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'We now know that these disgusting crimes were deliberately covered up by the police and local authorities simply because the majority of the perpetrators were of Pakistani heritage. 3 "The young girls - some as young as 12 - had their lives ruined. 'The cover-up has to end and those who hid these crimes held to account. 'It is disgraceful that not a single person has been punished for the cover-up. 'Every decent Labour MP who cares about this should vote for our amendment in Parliament.'
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Starmer to face grilling from Badenoch at Prime Minister's Questions
Update: Date: 11:44 BST Title: Minister apologises for grooming gangs report delay Content: Another story that's made political headlines in the UK this week, and which is likely to come up at PMQs today, is Home Office Minister Jess Phillips apology to MPs for a delay in the publication of a report on grooming gangs. In January, the government asked Baroness Louise Casey to lead a "rapid" three-month audit into the data and evidence on the nature and scale of group-based child sexual abuse. Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, Conservative frontbencher Katie Lam said Baroness Casey's review, along with a framework for local grooming gang inquiries, had been due for publication in May and asked for an updated timeline. Phillips told MPs she was sorry for the "month's wait" but added "I've waited 14 years", a reference to the length of time the Conservatives were in government. The minister said Baroness Casey had requested a "short extension" to her work and that it was expected "very shortly". On the same day that the delay was announced, five women from across England who were groomed and abused as children or young adults told BBC Newsnight about the ongoing impact it has had on their lives. Update: Date: 11:39 BST Title: Tariffs, tariffs, tariffs - latest on how Trump's taxes affect the UK Content: As always, we can't be totally sure what Tory leader Kemi Badenoch will ask Keir Starmer this morning - but on the off chance it comes up, it's worth remembering the other big political and economic story of the day. It was announced earlier that the UK's been temporarily spared from US President Donald Trump's plans to double steel and aluminium tariffs from 25% to 50%. Trump's latest executive order raises import taxes for US-based firms buying from other countries as of today - but the levy remains at 25% for the UK. It follows a deal that was signed last month by the US and UK, removing levies on some of the UK's exports, including cars, steel and aluminium. A government spokesperson says the UK plans to continue working "with the US to implement our agreement", but shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith has accused Labour of leaving "businesses in limbo" via "botched negotiations". Update: Date: 11:36 BST Title: Starmer pictured leaving No 10 Content: The prime minister is officially on the move. With various documents and ring binders in hand, Keir Starmer is on his way to the House of Commons for this week's Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs). We'll soon have a view of the chamber at the top of the page, where you'll be able to watch the back and forth live from midday. Update: Date: 11:23 BST Title: A look at what's included in the new defence strategy Content: Prime Minister Keir Starmer set out the government's defence strategy for the next decade on Monday. This follows an external review of the UK's defence capabilities - and the government now plans to implement all of the review's 62 findings. Here's a quick look at the government's response: There was even more included in the announcement - you can take a read through the full plans. Update: Date: 11:14 BST Title: Starmer's defence strategy could be in the spotlight Content: On Monday, the prime minister set out the government's defence strategy for the next decade. The government plans to increase military spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of national income by 2027, and has set an ambition to then increase it to 3% by 2034. The defence review recommended the armed forces move to 'warfighting readiness' to deter growing threats faced by the UK. Among the measures included in the review, Starmer announced that the UK will build up to 12 new attack submarines. It's been a big political talking point in the UK this week - and Starmer's plans could be scrutinised by MPs in the House of Commons later. Update: Date: 11:08 BST Title: Chancellor is preparing defence against tough spending questions Content: Damian GrammaticasPolitical correspondent Rachel Reeves knows that when, next week, she unveils the numbers for government spending in the coming years some departments will be facing tough times. So today she's been keen to get her defence for those hard decisions in early. Explaining her "fiscal rules", which determine how much she can tax and spend, she says 'let's be clear: It is not me imposing borrowing limits on Government, those limits are the product of economic reality.' If the government doesn't stick to careful, predictable plans, she says, then the result will be a loss of confidence in the government's ability to control spending, resulting in higher borrowing costs, rising interest rates, economic turmoil. Her defence came with a hard political edge to it. The Conservatives and Reform UK, were they to form a government, would, she claims, simply repeat the 'reckless borrowing' seen under Liz Truss. And addressing worries among some Labour MPs and voters, who believe a Labour government should spend more, she says: 'I know that economic responsibility and social justice go hand-in-hand.' That's because, she says, running a tight ship is what will 'make a difference to the lives of working people' and 'protect them from economic irresponsibility that they will ultimately pay the price for'. Update: Date: 11:01 BST Title: It's nearly time for PMQs - here's what might come up this week Content: It's Wednesday, which means another Prime Minister's Questions is right around the corner. It's already been a busy week for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who on Monday set out what the government's defence strategy will be for the next decade. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch may well press the prime minister on the details of that, as well as the increasing numbers of small boat crossings after Saturday saw the highest number of migrants arriving in the UK by small boat so far this year. Also on the agenda could be a trade deal with the US - the government is currently working to iron out an agreement to bring Donald Trump's steel tariffs down to zero. You can follow all the key updates from today's session here - or watch for yourself by clicking watch live at the top of the page from 12:00 BST. The prime minister set out the government's updated strategy for defence on Monday - could that be a source of contention in today's PMQs?
The Sun
6 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Children convicted of prostitution when they were victims of grooming gangs could have criminal records quashed
CHILDREN convicted of prostitution when they were victims of grooming gangs could have their criminal records quashed. The law has changed to recognise that under-18s in these cases were sexually exploited themselves. 2 Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the Home Affairs Select Committee yesterday: 'The law has changed but there are still people who have been convicted of crimes where they were being exploited, they were the victim of the most horrendous exploitation and they were children. 'Although the law has changed now around prostitution laws, the idea of treating somebody who was a child as a prostitute when they were being exploited, when they were the victim of the most horrendous exploitation including sexual exploitation and rape I think is wrong. 'The law has changed, we now need to look at the action we need to take to make sure that those historic cases are addressed and people don't carry round those criminal records for the rest of their lives for outdated laws and for things that happened in their childhood when they were being exploited.' The Home Secretary had asked all police forces in England and Wales to review historic cases which had been closed with no further action taken. As a result almost 300 cases have been referred to a national taskforce to be reexamined. The Government has refused to open a full national inquiry into grooming gangs, such as those uncovered in Rochdale and Rotherham. Instead, at least five local inquiries will take place to establish why and how children were able to be sexually exploited. 2
The Independent
6 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Nearly 300 historic child grooming gang cases to be looked at again
Hundreds of historic child sex abuse cases could be re-opened after police forces carried out reviews ordered by the Home Secretary to tackle grooming gangs. Some 287 closed cases have been identified so far by police to be looked at again by a national task force on child sexual exploitation, Yvette Cooper told a committee of MPs on Tuesday. In January, the Home Secretary urged chief constables in England and Wales to reopen cold case investigations, as she also announced a rapid review by Baroness Casey to look at the nature and scale of gang-based exploitation across the country. Ms Cooper has also vowed for at least five local inquiries to take place, including in Oldham, Greater Manchester where work is 'under way already'. The series of announcements to tackle child grooming gangs came as the Government faced pressure over the issue, including criticism from billionaire X owner Elon Musk. Ms Cooper told the Home Affairs Select Committee half of police forces have reported back to the Home Office after reviewing past investigations. 'As you will know, I have also always said the most important thing is to get perpetrators behind bars and to make sure that they face justice for these horrendous crimes,' she said. 'I did ask all police forces to review historic cases. 'We've asked them to review cases that were closed, where no further action was taken and where there are cases, to then work with the police child sexual exploitation task force … which has considerable expertise, to then review those cases and to look to reopen and pursue any new lines of inquiry that have not been properly pursued.' Of half of the forces who have reported back, she said: 'For those forces, 287 historic cases have been identified for review by the police child sexual exploitation task force.' The move comes after the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), led by Professor Alexis Jay, found institutional failings and tens of thousands of victims across England and Wales. The seven-year probe made 20 recommendations in the final report published in 2022, as it described child sexual abuse as an 'epidemic' across the two nations. The Government had knocked back calls for a national review in favour of locally led inquiries, saying it was focused on implementing recommendations from Prof Jay's report. Ms Cooper also told the committee Baroness Casey has asked for a short extension to complete the national audit, before the Government can set out next steps for local inquiries and how they will run. 'Once the Casey review and the Casey audit has reported back to us, we will set out those next steps, both about how we will then expect local inquiries to be taken forward, and also the funding support that we will give,' she said. It was previously announced a funding pot of £5 million would be available for local authorities to support locally led work on grooming gangs.
BBC News
7 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Jess Phillips apologises for grooming gangs report delay
Home Office Minister Jess Phillips has apologised to MPs for a delay to the publication of a report on grooming January, the government asked Baroness Louise Casey to lead a "rapid" three-month audit into the data and evidence on the nature and scale of group-based child sexual abuse. Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, Conservative frontbencher Katie Lam said Baroness Casey's review, along with a framework for local grooming gang inquiries, had been due for publication in May and asked for an updated timeline. Phillips told MPs she was sorry for the "month's wait" but added "I've waited 14 years", a reference to the length of time the Conservatives were in government. The minister said Baroness Casey had requested a "short extension" to her work and that it was expected "very shortly". "When we have the report the government will respond to it and lay out its plans with all the evidence in hand," she added. At the start of the year, the government dismissed calls for a national inquiry into grooming gangs, arguing it had already been examined in a seven-year inquiry, led by Prof Alexis Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced a "rapid audit" led by Baroness Casey to examine the "data and evidence to draw a comprehensive picture of the nature, scale and profile of group-based child sexual abuse offending". She also announced an initial pot of £5m for "victim-centred locally-led inquiries" to be held in Oldham and four other areas, yet to be named. In April, Phillips told the House of Commons she expected there would be further inquires beyond the initial five announced. She told MPs she would provide more details about the local inquiries once Baroness Casey's audit had been published. The Conservatives have continued to call for a nationwide inquiry with powers to compel people to give evidence, arguing that some local areas would be unwilling to hold their own said if Baroness Casey identified problems with particular local authorities, "I will pursue them".
