Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Sir Keir Starmer has announced a full statutory national inquiry into grooming gangs in England and Wales. This followed recommendations from Baroness Louise Casey’s independent audit.
The inquiry, to be established under the Inquiries Act, will have legal powers to compel witnesses and demand evidence, marking a significant shift in the government’s approach to the long-standing and deeply sensitive issue of group-based child sexual exploitation.
Speaking ahead of the G7 summit in Canada, Starmer told reporters he had accepted the findings of Baroness Casey’s audit into the nature and scale of grooming gangs across the country. “I’ve read every single word of her report,” the prime minister said. “I asked her to do that job, to double-check, and having read her report, I shall now implement her recommendation.”
The decision comes after months of political pressure and criticism, with Starmer previously accused of resisting calls to launch a new national inquiry. Earlier in the year, the government had rejected similar proposals, pointing to the existing seven-year inquiry led by Professor Alexis Jay as sufficient.
However, Baroness Casey who initially shared the government’s view has since changed her stance, concluding that a new inquiry is essential after reviewing fresh data and evidence. Her report is expected to be published on Monday, alongside a statement by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in the House of Commons.
A senior government source said the national inquiry will coordinate a series of targeted local investigations, including in areas where local authorities may be resistant. These investigations will also have the power to summon witnesses and demand evidence.
The inquiry’s scope will include examining the demographics of offenders and victims, cultural factors behind offending, and institutional failings in preventing abuse. It builds on the work of a rapid audit launched in January by Cooper, which aimed to assess the true scale and nature of group-based child sexual exploitation. The audit was originally set to conclude in three months but experienced delays after Baroness Casey requested more time.
The issue of grooming gangs regained national prominence earlier this year following public criticism of the government’s inaction, including from tech billionaire Elon Musk. He accused Starmer of failing to respond adequately to high-profile cases, such as those in Rotherham and Rochdale, where groups of predominantly Pakistani-heritage men were convicted of sexually abusing vulnerable white British girls.
The decision to launch the inquiry has drawn sharp reactions from across the political spectrum.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused the prime minister of lacking conviction. “Keir Starmer doesn’t know what he thinks unless an official report has told him so,” she said. “I’ve been repeatedly calling for a full national inquiry since January. It’s about time he recognised he made a mistake and apologized for six wasted months.”
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage welcomed the move as a U-turn, adding in a post on X: “A full statutory enquiry, done correctly, will expose the multiple failings of the British establishment. This cannot be a whitewash. It’s time for victims to receive the justice they deserve.”
Despite the political friction, the inquiry’s launch is being viewed by campaigners as a necessary step toward accountability and justice for survivors, many of whom have waited years for official recognition and action.
The government has confirmed that the inquiry’s establishment “will take a bit of time,” but once in place, it is expected to be one of the most wide-ranging efforts yet to investigate and address child sexual abuse by organised groups across the UK.
