Shabana Mahmood has pledged that members of grooming gangs will be held accountable as she unveiled the appointment of a former children’s commissioner to lead the national inquiry. Home Secretary, Ms. Mahmood, confirmed that Baroness Anne Longfield will head the £65 million investigation, which is mandated to present its findings within three years. Describing the inquiry as a crucial step in addressing a dark chapter in history, Ms. Mahmood highlighted the state’s failure to safeguard young and vulnerable individuals, noting a disregard for the atrocities by some in positions of authority.
The inquiry will consist of local investigations overseen by a national panel with full statutory powers. In addition, the Home Secretary announced initiatives to support victims and survivors, along with funding to enable law enforcement to target perpetrators. Ms. Mahmood emphasized that the perpetrators who believed they had escaped justice will have no sanctuary. More than 1,200 cases, including 200 priority rape cases, have been earmarked for reinvestigation.
The inquiry’s primary focus is on child sexual abuse perpetrated by grooming gangs, with a specific examination of the offenders’ backgrounds, including ethnicity and religion. The aim is to uncover any failures by authorities in investigating the crimes to protect community cohesion. The inquiry will impartially identify individual, institutional, and systemic shortcomings, collaborating with law enforcement to address any new criminal activities that come to light.
The national inquiry was established in June following a damning report by Baroness Louise Casey at the behest of Keir Starmer. Baroness Longfield, who is transitioning from a Labour peer to a member of the House of Lords, underscored the importance of seeking truth, rectifying past mistakes, and ensuring the current generation of children and youth are safeguarded.
The inquiry is committed to confronting challenging truths and ensuring accountability, as highlighted in Baroness Casey’s report, which spotlighted the ethnicity of abusers that had been previously overlooked. Evidence from regions like Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire, and West Yorkshire suggests a disproportionate number of abusers hail from South Asian backgrounds.
Ms. Mahmood emphasized that the criminal acts of the individuals were not representative of any specific community or religion. Stressing the need to eradicate such evil behaviors, she called for unity in addressing the issue without unjustly stigmatizing law-abiding citizens.
Following the withdrawal of the final two candidates to chair the inquiry in October, there was a dispute over the potential expansion of the probe’s scope, leading to the resignation of five women from the victim liaison panel. The Home Office reports significant progress in implementing Baroness Casey’s recommendations, including the introduction of a scheme to annul convictions and cautions related to “child prostitution,” as well as increased funding for policing responses, survivor support, and research on combatting grooming gangs.