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

Primrose53

Wyllow3

Primrose you have missed a reference I posted upthread. The Muslim Council of Britain has spoken up very strongly

mcb.org.uk/mcb-we-need-truth-and-action-against-child-sexual-abuse-gangs-not-a-racist-witch-hunt/

The current Secretary General of the council is a woman, Zara Mohammed

who graduated with an LLM in Human Rights Law from the University of Strathclyde and is based in Glasgow. She was elected as the youngest and first female Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain in January 2021.

Just read it. I was expecting a full statement from Muslim women not a few words from one woman. She is calling these youngsters who were drugged, raped, impregnated and murdered, “targets” and claiming some of them were non-white and some were Muslim. They went after vulnerable white kids often in care because they consider them to be “white trash”.

That’s not what I have been reading for years nor what Maggie Oliver who has worked tirelessly to keep this in the public domain has always insisted.

Misrepresentation by quoting just a few words, and there are references to early reports.

It is also not intended as a full report and analysis, but a press release in response to current events by both men and women. What right have you to "demand" that muslim women "should" release a specific report?

The problem is not what it says, but that it was ignored by major sections of the press since the condemnation of the gangs is clear, and full on, and deserved to be in the major papers in order to make the disgust clear

Naz Shah (woman muslim labour MP around 2015 was a
"vociferous campaigner for victims of grooming gangs".

Maggie Oliver is indeed a key figure, but so is Nazir Afzal, who was active in the CPS, both playing different but significant roles.

Is it not possible to still keep with recommendations from the Jay inquiry and separately start a different inquiry into causes, reasons of why there has been a cover up and failings from institutions.

The problem we have is both parties have valid points. Children can't wait to be safeguarded from a new inquiry but we also need people to be held accountable for past cover ups.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Well I for one thank Elon Musk for shining a light on all this murky business.

There’s been more talk on this shocking state of affairs in the last 10 days than there has been in the last 10 years.

Not before time.

It’s been pretty much ignored. The Tories pretty much did sod all and Labour are tripping over themselves NOW to look proactive. We are not fooled. Without Elon’s intervention this topic would not be under discussion.

No, we are not fooled. The only paragraph in the Reform Party manifesto relevant was this

"Stop Child Grooming Gangs.
Systematic child sexual abuse continues unchecked. Child Protection Services needs a dedicated National Agency working with local charities, councils and health services. Upgraded intelligence can identify high-risk children and filter malicious claims."

This is actually asking for no more than the 20 recommendations of the 2022 report and a great deal less detail on child sexual abuse than in both the Labour and Conservative Party manifestos.

Very interesting article in the Guardian today

"This is how the grooming scandal is being weaponised – and this is what Starmer must do"

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jan/06/grooming-scandal-keir-starmer-reform-nigel-farage

But will he listen? I think he has to Wyllow.

Oh yes, he definitely does, and I believe he is FGT.

Todays PMQ interesting.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyvy4q82l9o

I think there are some who believe that an inquiry will somehow reveal some major "Baddies" to prosecute,

but that the reality is far more likely to be - after questioning hundreds of police, social workers, local councillors and more, will reveal a mish mash of an original lack of any decent structures or experience in dealing with gangs like this, a failure to believe victims for non political reasons, the difficulty of "proof", the incredible person-power time to investigate and evidence gather, the lack back then of proper CPS procedures until introduced, all mixed in with reluctance and slowness for possible political reasons.

This will take hours of time away from work in the present, and I might be entirely wrong, but I dont see it will produce criminal prosecutions?

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Read my posts.
I find no favour with Tories or Labour on this issue.

Response from both parties has been abysmal.
Over 50 towns and cities involved. And it’s still going on.

But the government are responding FriedGreenTomatoes2. They have been in power, i.e., able to actually do something, for six months. Some time was taken up with the riots where some were determined to mislead on line. I am glad to see:

In the first case of a person going to jail for posting on social media during the disorder, Jordan Parlour, 28, of Seacroft, Leeds, received a 20 month sentence for inciting others to target a Leeds building which housed asylum seekers.

At least two others also received jail sentences for social media posts that stirred up racial hatred.

Suspended Labour councillor Ricky Jones appeared in court charged with encouraging violent disorder after he was filmed apparently telling a crowd that far-right demonstrators should have their throats cut.

Let's hope this leads to moderation on-line, when it comes to misinformation and stirring up racial hatred.

I am absolutely livid with some of what I have read here.

Even more so after hearing Nazir Afsal on Radio 4 ( the media programme)

He mentions victims being retraumatised. Its disgusting that Musk and others are using this to promote their own agenda.
Disgusting.
Shameful behaviour.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0026ncy

An immam is coming on GBNews this evening. He says he feels the need to speak out. Radical immams ARE giving inflammatory preachings in some mosques and he says it’s time to call them out. Should be interesting from one who knows.

(about sexual practices).

Time to call out any and everyone making inflammatory comments, including Elon Musk!

FriedGreenTomatoes2

An immam is coming on GBNews this evening. He says he feels the need to speak out. Radical immams ARE giving inflammatory preachings in some mosques and he says it’s time to call them out. Should be interesting from one who knows.

Oh for the love of God, have a little humility.

This is absolutely vile, stirring up racial hatred like this.

Listen to Radio 4 .Listen to Andrew Norfolk, the upset in his voice.

For the second time, I must get myself completely well away from this toxic thread.

How is it racial hatred to listen to an Imman about some of the concerns he has.

Sorry Imam that should say.

Wyllow3’s suggestions at 16.10 today about what an inquiry looking to ‘find some baddies’ to prosecute is likely to find. These horrific gangs were in the late 1990’s when first identified, were new to police and other agencies. What was familiar was the reluctance of the CPS to prosecute. The organisation tends to prosecute sexual abuse allegations where there’s a likelihood of about 80 % success. The victims were seen as vulnerable, unreliable in that they’d make horrific allegations yet return to abusers. Keir Starmer and Nazir Afzal changed that and successfully prosecuted large numbers

Thanks for the link Jeanathome. It was a good programme

FriedGreenTomatoes2

(about sexual practices).

Why do you think an Immam will know about sexual practices?

What are you on about Jeanathome ? There is nobody stirring up racial hatred on here, nor is it vile nor is it toxic.
It may not be to your liking but that’s a whole different board game.

Ball game😄 damn predictive text.

Iam64

He’s doing exactly what Starmer feared - winding up anti Muslim feeling. If he’d made similar comments about certain groups of white men or other faith groups there’d be a righteous outcry.

Really. I don't think so somehow. At all.

Wyllow3

Thank you for the link but that’s just one woman from the Muslim Council making a statement. It’s pretty wishy washy anyway.

What I want to know is why we never see Muslim women on TV discussing this and speaking out against it. Especially as it’s been all over every news channel and talk show.Maggie Oliver was on TV a while ago saying that those men who were involved are still accepted in their communities. As we now know, some of these held high positions.

Wouldn’t you think that at least a few Muslim women would speak out and say they are disgusted with this whole sorry business.

Galaxy

How is it racial hatred to listen to an Imman about some of the concerns he has.

It isn't.

It's interesting to listen to different opinions, especially from people who have extensive knowledge of certain subjects.

I don't think we have the right to angrily demand that any woman should have to comment just because demands are made on a social media site they "ought" to.

Particularly since many current statements are increasingly Islamophobic in general, and specifically attempts are consistently being made to frame all grooming and other abuse as Muslim, not across the whole population. Its insulting to think that not commenting means they support the criminal gangs in any way.

However, if you check out the Labour Women Muslim MP's X posts you will find some have commented. There are also Muslim Womens sites if you care to look.

As far as I am concerned this thread is a discussion on whether we need a further inquiry and I have made my views clear.

Primrose, your posts lead me to ask do you know, live near or work with any Muslim women? I ask because like many others, I do. My Muslim women colleagues share the outrage towards these men. So does the one woman of Muslim heritage in our family.

I to be honest am no more interested in the views of Muslim women on this than I am of the views of plumbers. In other words both groups have a right to their view and I would listen to both. I would really like an honest conversation on this bit it wont happen.