However, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) which covered England and Wales, was beset by one controversy after another before Professor Jay eventually took over. These included the resignations of three chairs, before Prof Jay eventually took over, while various lawyers also left and some survivors’ groups withdrew support.
An amendment to hold a national inquiry into the grooming gangs was last night rejected by MPs during a vote in the House of Commons.
MPs voted by 364 votes to 111, a majority of 253, against the amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, in result widely expected due to Labour’s majority.
Both Gedling borough Labour MPs Michael Payne (Gedling) and Michelle Welsh (Sherwood) voted against the amendment.
The full list revealed that no Labour MPs voted in favour of the Conservative amendment, while of the 111 MPs who supported the amendment, 101 were Conservatives, five Reform UK, two DUP, the TUV’s Jim Allister, UUP’s MP Robin Swann and Independent Alex Easton.
During Prime Minister’s Questions earlier on Wednesday, Sir Keir Starmer rejected calls for a national inquiry.
He said: This will delay things until 2031” and that it was “shocking” for anyone to vote down the bill which protect the most vulnerable in society.
In response, Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch told the Prime Minister to “be a leader, not a lawyer” over his response to calls to establish another grooming scandal inquiry.
Mr Payne took to social media platforms to share his reasons for voting against the amendment.
He wrote: “Like so many of my constituents, I am horrified and disgusted by the systematic sexual abuse and exploitation of predominantly white working class girls, first uncovered fourteen years ago in 2010. Child abuse and sexual exploitation are the most horrendous crimes.
“Many reports, investigations and inquiries that have taken place since then, have revealed beyond all doubt, that public institutions often failed to act, in some cases because of prejudice towards the survivors on the basis of class, and in some cases on the basis of the ethnicity or religious background of the perpetrators.
“The time for talking on this issue passed long ago. Only meaningful action will suffice now.
“I cannot and will not vote for the Conservative Party’s amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which is a wrecking amendment to a bill that will enhance protection of children across our country, as well as limiting the number of branded school uniform items to save money for families and introduce free breakfast clubs in every primary school.”
Michelle Welsh outlined her reasons to back the bill and not the amendment during a speech in Parliament.
“In my constituency of Sherwood Forest, one in five children live in poverty and across the East Midlands it is one in four. This is simply outrageous and children deserve better and that’s why I am pleased to support this bill today to put children and their wellbeing and safety back at the heart of government decision making, which is back where it belongs.
What did previous investigations uncover?
Besides Rotherham, reviews devoted to scandals in individual towns have been conducted into Rochdale, Telford and Oldham.
The investigations found different failings at varying scales, all of them issued disturbing findings, provoking apologies and resignations. This is besides the many trials that have led to dozens of convictions around the country.
A serious case review was also carried out in Oxfordshire, concluding in 2015 that 373 children could have been exploited by gangs in the space of 16 years.
It was concerns about a different type of child sexual exploitation – involving abuse within institutions such as churches, care homes and boarding schools – that led to Theresa May announcing a public inquiry in 2014 while she was home secretary.
When the inquiry finally published its report in 2022, after seven years of work it issued 20 recommendations.
