Grooming gang survivors say ministers trying to water down inquiry despite reassurances

"Grooming gang victims have accused the UK government of attempting to manipulate them into broadening a national inquiry to include other forms of sexual abuse, despite Shabana Mahmood's insistence that the focus will not change. They suspect that the government is trying to deflect focus away from Labour-led councils, wishes to impose a government-friendly chair and wants to avoid raising questions over the ethnicity of the perpetrators, many of whom were men of Pakistani descent."

"Mahmood, the home secretary, has been forced to intervene, insisting that the inquiry will leave no hiding place for those involved in the scandal. However, evidence has emerged that shows members of the liaison panel were explicitly asked by officials: Should the inquiry have an explicit focus on grooming gangs' or group-based CSEA' [child sexual exploitation and abuse], or take a broader approach?"

Grooming gang victims have accused the UK government of attempting to manipulate them into widening a national inquiry to include other forms of sexual abuse. Survivors suspect the government wants to deflect attention from Labour-led councils, appoint a government-friendly chair, and avoid scrutiny of perpetrators' ethnicity, many of whom were men of Pakistani descent. Four survivors resigned from the victims and survivors liaison panel, alleging the Home Office and ministers sidelined them and sought to broaden the inquiry for political reasons. Evidence shows officials asked whether the inquiry should focus on grooming gangs or take a broader approach. Some survivors remain unconvinced by ministerial assurances.

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