Sir Keir Starmer announces national inquiry into grooming gangs

The prime minister has announced there will be a full national statutory inquiry into grooming gangs.

Sir Keir Starmer said he had accepted the recommendations of an audit by Baroness Louise Casey into the data and evidence on the nature and scale of group-based child sexual abuse.

Baroness Casey has recommended a national inquiry is required, he said.

For months, Sir Keir has faced criticism for not being willing to set one up.

At the start of the year, the government dismissed calls for a national inquiry, arguing it had already been examined in a seven–year inquiry led by Professor Alexis Jay.

But speaking to reporters on his way to the G7 summit, which begins in Canada tomorrow, the prime minister said: “I’ve never said we should not look again at any issue.”

He added that Baroness Casey had originally thought a new inquiry was not necessary, but she had changed her mind having looked into it in recent months.

“She’s come to the view there should be a national inquiry on the basis of what she’s seen,” Sir Keir said.

“I’ve read every single word of her report, and I’m going to accept her recommendation.

“I think that’s the right thing to do, on the basis of what she has put in her audit.

“I asked her to do that job, to double-check on this.

“She’s done that job for me, and having read her report… I shall now implement her recommendation.”

He added that it “will take a bit of time” to set up the inquiry, but added that “it will be statutory under the Inquiries Act.”

This means it will be able to compel witnesses to provide evidence.

Baroness Casey’s review, which began in January, was due to take three months and had been delayed.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: “Keir Starmer doesn’t know what he thinks unless an official report has told him so.

“Just like he dismissed concerns about the winter fuel payment and then had to U-turn.

“I’ve been repeatedly calling for a full national inquiry since January.

“It’s about time he recognised he made a mistake and apologise for six wasted months.”