Labour has come under fire after refusing to hold a public inquiry into historic sexual abuse by grooming gangs in Oldham.

Jeanathome

I do wonder if some people are disproprtionately interested in this topic.

I read what KS had to say. It seemed intelligent.

I do wonder if some people are disproprtionately interested in this topic.
What on earth does this mean? You think it's possible to be too concerned about the rape and abuse of children? I've been out all day so don't know what Starmer has said, I'll go and search online, was it about CSA?

I am sick to death of this. I find it highly insulting that there is some sort of weird competion about who can be more outraged.

As a woman, a mother and a Grandmother it makes me sick to my stomach.

I'm not convinced that more inquiry is needed. Those who are experts in the field are calling for action not words.

I also feel the abuse is being used ,by some factions to further their own agenda.

No inquiry, Starmer has made an announcement.

I think this is a huge mistake.

He will not be able to protect himself or his MP’s forever.

"Child sexual abuse inquiry chair urges government to act"

wise words from Prof Alexis Jay, who led the inquiry that reported in 2022, frustrated that the 20 recommendations from the report have barely been started on

Prof Alexis Jay, the former chair of a national inquiry into child sexual abuse, has called for the "full implementation" of reforms set out in her 2022 report, which warned of "endemic" abuse across society in England and Wales.

A campaign group chaired by Prof Jay, called Act on IICSA, said ministers must commit to a "clear timeline" to adopt the recommendations laid out by the Independent Inquiry Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). The government says it supports the changes.

The group warned against "politicising" sexual violence and pushed back against "misinformation".

Prof Jay also distanced herself from calls from the Conservatives and Reform UK for a new inquiry into grooming gangs

The IICSA national inquiry was set up in 2015 and carried out 15 investigations, including into grooming gangs and abuse in schools and church settings.
Prof Jay had previously led a landmark local inquiry into widescale abuse in Rotherham, where it was estimated 1,400 children were exploited between 1997 and 2013, predominantly by men of Pakistani heritage.

The IICSA's final report, external was published in 2022 and set out 20 recommendations it said were necessary to reduce child suffering.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Act on IICSA said: "Politicising the issue of sexual violence fails to acknowledge its lifelong impact and hinders the implementation of vital and urgent overhaul to our systems required

More further in article
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8xl4d3m81o

We don't need further inquires, its clear that we have to get on with the results of the 2022 one.

I'd like to add that its clear that Musk's interest was not really for the victims: he has done nothing in his own country about similar problems, for him, it is now absolutely clear it was a political bandwagon to get Tommy Robinson into a position of power by attempting to manipulate UK politics.

All a game, just as he is hitting at Germany with any handy issue to hand

We've talked above about Starmer's response: here it is to read

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c75wp53vk1lo

It includes the details of how he did tackle child abuse in his time at the CPS.

Sago

No inquiry, Starmer has made an announcement.

I think this is a huge mistake.

He will not be able to protect himself or his MP’s forever.

Protect them against what? Who was in power for the last 14 years especially after the report came out?

Protect them against the likes of Musk, now discredited?

Wyllow3

Sago

No inquiry, Starmer has made an announcement.

I think this is a huge mistake.

He will not be able to protect himself or his MP’s forever.

Protect them against what? Who was in power for the last 14 years especially after the report came out?

Protect them against the likes of Musk, now discredited?

Starmer was DPP during this period.

Jeanathome

I am sick to death of this. I find it highly insulting that there is some sort of weird competion about who can be more outraged.

As a woman, a mother and a Grandmother it makes me sick to my stomach.

I'm not convinced that more inquiry is needed. Those who are experts in the field are calling for action not words.

I also feel the abuse is being used ,by some factions to further their own agenda.

I totally agree with your post.

Jeanathome

I do wonder if some people are disproprtionately interested in this topic.

I read what KS had to say. It seemed intelligent.

And I listened. His rebuttal wasn’t impressive. He was decidedly rattled. He looked very uncomfortable.

Jeanathome

I am sick to death of this. I find it highly insulting that there is some sort of weird competion about who can be more outraged.

As a woman, a mother and a Grandmother it makes me sick to my stomach.

I'm not convinced that more inquiry is needed. Those who are experts in the field are calling for action not words.

I also feel the abuse is being used ,by some factions to further their own agenda.

I also feel the abuse is being used ,by some factions to further their own agenda.

Not least Elon Musk.

I don't believe that anyone posting on here, regardless of their political stripe, wants to see the matter of child sexual abuse shoved under the carpet. We have children, grand children, and we are all aware of the murky underworld of rape-gangs of both Pakistani men and so-called 'grooming' gangs of paedophile-rings - and abuse of both girls and boys in care and religious institutions.

I don't know if a public inquiry would benefit or help the victims. I don't know to what extent there has been a cover-up, and I'm not denying there hasn't been any - the unimaginable abuse that Savile was somehow allowed to get away with under the noses of the BBC and the NHS is a measure of how 'blind eyes' are turned...

But what I am sure of is that if there is to be a public inquiry, it should be because we want to change permanently the way we monitor and deal with suspected abuse, and it should not involve an American tech-wizzard oligarch who is clearly orchestrating a political campaign against Starmer and who appears to be attempting to facilitate the 'civil war' in Britain he insisted was inevitable. He has fostered and amplified what is politely called 'misinformation' on his platform, all in the name of 'free-speech', because it suits his agenda. And he damned well has one.

Both the Left and the Right have been culpable in bringing about the sorry state that Britain is in on all levels, because that's how party politics works. But if we really care about sexually abused children then we have to keep party-politics out of this.

... which isn't going to happen, and certainly not here on GN, so I'm out now because this is just too depressing to even think about anymore.

Well, I recommend people reading it for themselves, including about what he did so whilst at the CPA, since I thought he spoke very well. And carefully, as he didn't give Musk any "airtime" but addressed the issues.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c75wp53vk1lo

Starmer on his time at CPA

"Describing child sexual exploitation as "utterly sickening", Sir Keir defended his record in office as DPP, saying he tackled the issue "head on".

"I changed the system because I could see some of the things that were going wrong," he told reporters.

While DPP, Sir Keir introduced a special prosecutor for child abuse and sexual exploitation to oversee convictions;

changed the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) guidance to encourage police to investigate suspects in complex sexual abuse cases

and brought in court reforms aimed at making the process less traumatic for victims.

Sir Keir said he also reopened cases, brought the first prosecution of an "Asian grooming gang" in Rochdale and called for mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse.

*When I left office, we had the highest number of child sexual abuse cases being prosecuted on record," Sir Keir said.
"The victims here suffered terrible abuse," he said, "and then they weren't listened to*

Where are all the parents of these young girls? No mention of their
responsibility. Do they not talk to their
children or wonder where they are?

Weaty

Where are all the parents of these young girls? No mention of their
responsibility. Do they not talk to their
children or wonder where they are?

Usually girls in care with no parental control and allowed free rein by the carers. These poor creatures were easy meat for the Asian men who wanted easy sex, often difficult to access through their own culture.
Starmer may be guilty of not wanting to upset the Asian vote he depends upon , or not, but mud sticks in politics and that is the aim of Musk.

Also, I think Starmer is finding it difficult as PM. Leader of the Op. is a different ball game - that opposing duty suited him - leadership does not. He is looking more and more stressed and you have to feel for someone trying to implement policy but coming up against rumour and scandal that overshadows it all.

Further to Wheaty's question, and yes, the men who abused them quite rightly should be/have been prosecuted, but it was their own people, of their own ethnicity, who let them down in the first place.

Boz

Also, I think Starmer is finding it difficult as PM. Leader of the Op. is a different ball game - that opposing duty suited him - leadership does not. He is looking more and more stressed and you have to feel for someone trying to implement policy but coming up against rumour and scandal that overshadows it all.

I’ve never known a PM to be hounded by the press as much as he has been. If only the previous government had been held to account the way that this one has been.Imo he’s handling it very well.

Boz

Also, I think Starmer is finding it difficult as PM. Leader of the Op. is a different ball game - that opposing duty suited him - leadership does not. He is looking more and more stressed and you have to feel for someone trying to implement policy but coming up against rumour and scandal that overshadows it all.

He is not just trying to implement policy - despite all the rumour, alleged scandal, shroud waving and nonsense, he is doing it. I’ve never known a government move so swiftly before. Whatever people think of the government, they would have to own that they aren’t sitting about doing nothing.

Weaty

Where are all the parents of these young girls? No mention of their
responsibility. Do they not talk to their
children or wonder where they are?

Some of the girls were in care. Not all though. Parents were often living in fear having also been threatened by these gangs. In one such case, a fourteen year old girl gave birth to her abuser's child and was murdered, he also set fire to the family home where that girl's mother and sister died trapped upstairs by the fire.

I think it is the Tom Baldwin book where it is said that Keir Starmer has been under-estimated and has over-performed in every stage of his life. I see no reason to doubt that.

The words that have come out of the mouth of Labour today is astounding! The saying 'give someone enough rope and they will hang themselves. '

Weaty I suggest you listen to the people who Charley Peters spoke to today. And then come back on and apologise!

Jeanathome

I am sick to death of this. I find it highly insulting that there is some sort of weird competion about who can be more outraged.

As a woman, a mother and a Grandmother it makes me sick to my stomach.

I'm not convinced that more inquiry is needed. Those who are experts in the field are calling for action not words.

I also feel the abuse is being used ,by some factions to further their own agenda.

Thank you for saying exactly how I feel about this.

Who was in charge for the last FOURTEEN years!

Of course Keir Starmer was 'rattled'. His reply was just right.

I’ve been listening to the news today and reading several news
articles and I’ve come to the conclusion that Starmer possibly did his best (I’m being generous). I think there were cover ups. By ALL parties who were shying away from tackling Pakistani rape gangs.

Tony Lloyd (Labour MP for Stretford & Urmston at the time - I remember voting for him) urged some fellow MPs in Northern constituencies ‘not to rock the boat’. He was in the process of running for Crime Commissioner in Greater Manchester and didn’t want his name (or Labour) tarnishing with this awkward situation (it wasn’t then at the time deemed a ‘scandal’ - some councillors, social workers, police, MPs deemed these vulnerable white girls as ‘nothing but young prostitutes’. Dressing inappropriately, looking for ‘boyfriends with money’, trips in taxis, free kebabs (oh girls how low was your collective self esteem). Looking for ‘love’ or at the very least, showing off to other girls ‘their mates’ and thereby elevating their status in a very vulnerable and sad wider group.

Social workers said ‘our hands are tied. These girls of 14y we can’t stop them going out’ even when they were in Care. Vulnerand needing protection. Sometimes from themselves?

The Tories were in power and did little to nothing. The report from Professor Jay (with her 20 recommendations) landed on the desk of the Home Secretary (? Pritti Patel or was it Stella Braverman?). Makes no bluddy difference as it was ignored as it arrived the same day that Lix Truss was ousted so they were all in turmoil choosing a new leader, canvassing and looking elsewhere.

Those poor girls. And I feel sorry for Professor Jay. Was she furious that her hard work, sifting through 14,000 statements and producing an excellent report had just been sidelined? And to date, what a colossal waste of taxpayers money! Just round and round in circles, passing the buck, nodding heads all agreeing how absolutely TERRIBLE all this was. Professor Jay even handed them 20 recommendations on a plate. The Minister in charge at the time didn’t even have to come up with some themselves. They were good to go. But sadly IGNORED.

Councils ought not to have been allowed to mark their own homework. One counsellor in Oldham was even subsequently charged with running a gang rape gang of Pakistani men In the adjacent borough. How bad is that? Just think about that for a moment. It truly shocked me today.

So at the end of this long essay, I have come to conclusion that absolutely nobody in power has come out of this well.

Perhaps it would be good, therefore if a line could be drawn in the sand on the understanding and firm promise from Labour that not only have lessons been learnt, but that robust action will now be taken. We cannot go on like this fudging issues because we are too frightened to be either called racist or worrying about votes in a constituency, especially where the margin is slim as in Jess Phillips consituency. She managed to hang onto her seat but by a reduced majority - She has less than 800 majority now compared to several thousands at the previous election.

Upon reflection, I feel the blame game must now stop.
It’s time to see some action.
So - Over to you, Starmer. This is now on your watch. I’m not even blaming you for everything. But you did have a part to play, and you didn’t play it well.
Now is the time to redeem yourself in my opinion.