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

Weaty Look at the facts about the parents of many of the girls before you judge! Watch the programme Three Hirls ...an accurate depiction

GrannyGravy13

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That looks like the rubbish that is found on far from reliable sources. Seen idiotic examples on Facebook and probably other social media.

It's clear from reading some of the posts on this thread that many just don't understand the role of the CPS in the UK. The CPS advises and guides the police AFTER they have gained evidence and are at the point of charging. The police forces involved in these dreadful cases did not collect evidence or bring charges, that is the real issue here. Starmer has apologised for one instance when the CPS said there was inadequate evidence to bring a charge of rape when a force did investigate a case but there are 14 different CPS areas, they handle 130K cases annually, I don't think there's any evidence that that Starmer would have been aware of it but as Director of the CPS, he accepted blame for a bad decision made by the CPS. He was DPP from 2008-2013, there was a comprehensive in depth review which published in 2022, none of the recommendations were put in place by the previous government. This is a witch hunt.

eazybee

All the arguments on here explain why Oldham has called for an enquiry to establish the facts, not more promises to improve the situation.
So many things I have seen and heard today, spoken by identified victims, their parents and participants such as Maggie Oliver, full face to the camera, are immediately denied or discredited by others who were not there.

Starmer and Jess Phillips are terrified of the full truth of the denials coming out and the reasons behind them.

Is that why the previous government made the same decision eazybee, in your opinion?

All the arguments on here explain why Oldham has called for an enquiry to establish the facts, not more promises to improve the situation.
So many things I have seen and heard today, spoken by identified victims, their parents and participants such as Maggie Oliver, full face to the camera, are immediately denied or discredited by others who were not there.

Starmer and Jess Phillips are terrified of the full truth of the denials coming out and the reasons behind them.

Petra 🙈👍🏻

I dont think a further enquiry is needed. From the previous one completed there is plenty of evidence of what needs to be done. The money is better spent on implementing those changes rather than more endless interviews and talking.

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?

I’ll keep this short otherwise I might do damage because I’m f-%#@£g angry at your comment😡
Do yourself a favour and watch Three Girls then you’ll know how those parents suffered.
Not that you’ll care.

People seem to forget entirely there was another DPP after 2013 - when matters were very much ongoing.

Starmer raised the focus and the number of prosecutions on abuse very substantially, clearly not ideally enough, but why aren't people pulling the next DPP apart too? It's quite obviously political.

loveOc you seem to be under the mis illusion that Maggie Oliver is the only person who knows or wants this changed

Have you seen what Liz Truss said? Worse than Musk.

It has been happening for decades. I was 15 when a man got hold of me in Valentine park. Wanted me to see his sisters baby next week. Never went and would have been abused if I had

Casdon 'Appalling'? This is why this sickening behaviour has gone on. Maggie Oliver has stated it is still going on! It is this attitude which gives this behaviour license.

love0c

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. '

Nothing near as shocking as what Liz Truss said. Absolutely appalling.

TerriBull

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.

Weary - your comment is exactly the kind of victim blaming that is being criticised. These were usually girls from vulnerable families with parents who struggled to meet their names or keep them safe. This isn’t true of all parents, some did their best to protect their children.
My experience of residential care staff, like foster carers, was they tried to keep children away from the taxi drivers who were abusing them.
Many police/social workers tried and failed to intervene - they needed support and resources fro senior managers that wasn’t forthcoming.
All if this is reported in the many inquiries.

Starmer realised the victims were being let down, the rapists were getting away with it. His work at the CPS changed that with many successful prosecutions

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.

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.

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

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. '

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.