The UK government has announced a national inquiry into organised child sexual abuse, commonly referred to in the media as the "grooming gangs" scandal, after previously resisting such
calls. The decision comes amid mounting public pressure and political criticism, with the issue having been amplified by far-right figures and tech billionaire Elon Musk.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed the inquiry on Saturday, stating that he had carefully reviewed a new independent report by Baroness Louise Casey. The report recommended a broader investigation into the systemic failures that allowed such abuse to continue.
“I read every single word of Baroness Casey’s report,” Starmer told reporters during a visit to Canada. “She was tasked with double-checking the facts, and I will now implement her recommendations. It is the right thing to do.”
Earlier this year, the government had declined to hold a new inquiry, saying efforts were being focused on implementing the findings of an earlier, extensive seven-year investigation led by Professor Alexis Jay. That inquiry, concluded in 2022, found widespread institutional failures affecting tens of thousands of victims across England and Wales.
Opposition Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticized Starmer’s shift in position, claiming he only backed the inquiry because the new report advised it.
Public interest in the case surged recently, with high-profile voices like Reform UK’s Nigel Farage and Elon Musk pushing the issue. Their focus on cases involving men of Pakistani heritage prompted criticism, with some accusing them of using the subject as a racial dog whistle.
The UK’s National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has previously stated that most organised child sexual exploitation offences are committed by white men, challenging the notion that ethnicity is a defining factor in these crimes.
Musk, using his social media platform X, accused Starmer of failing to pursue justice during his tenure as the UK’s chief prosecutor from 2008 to 2013—claims that Starmer has firmly denied. Musk also cited findings from Oldham, a northern English town, where local investigations found groups of men had sexually exploited underage girls during the 2000s and 2010s.
The Oldham case shares similarities with other incidents across the country, particularly in involving predominantly white victims and perpetrators from South Asian backgrounds. These cases have contributed to ongoing public debates around immigration, policing, and institutional accountability. Photo by Cheeseburger296, Wikimedia commons.