Official announcement from the UK government or relevant department

UK Government Rejects Oldham's Call for National Inquiry Into Grooming Gangs Scandal Involving Pakistani Men

Jan 1, 2025, 09:29 PM

The UK government has rejected a request from Oldham Council for a national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal, leaving local authorities to investigate the issue. The decision, communicated by Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips, has sparked outrage among former Home Secretary Suella Braverman and others who argue that a government-led inquiry is necessary to address the systemic failures that allowed the abuse to continue unchecked. The scandal involves the sexual exploitation of an estimated 250,000 young girls, predominantly by Pakistani men, across the UK, with some estimates suggesting as many as a million victims nationwide. Critics accuse the government of prioritizing political correctness over the safety of children, pointing to instances where authorities allegedly ignored the abuse to avoid being labeled as racist. The controversy has also drawn international attention, with tech mogul Elon Musk questioning the disparity in sentencing between rapists and activist Tommy Robinson, who is serving an 18-month sentence in solitary confinement for contempt of court related to his reporting on the issue.