Badenoch Calls for New Inquiry into Grooming Gangs, Citing 'Peasant Backgrounds'

The Conservative leader emphasizes cultural factors and systemic failures in addressing child sexual exploitation, reigniting political debate over the need for further investigation.

Kemi Badenoch has called for a new national inquiry into grooming gangs, focusing on cultural factors and systemic failures in addressing child sexual abuse in the UK.
Badenoch attributed grooming gang crimes to individuals from 'peasant backgrounds' in rural sub-communities of countries like Pakistan, highlighting their socioeconomic and occupational profiles.
She criticized a 'culture of silence' within police and social services, arguing that racial sensitivities and institutional failings have allowed abuse to persist unchecked.
Labour MPs, including Sarah Champion and Paul Waugh, have joined calls for a new inquiry, while Prime Minister Keir Starmer continues to prioritize implementing recommendations from the 2022 Jay report.
The debate has gained international attention, with figures like Elon Musk weighing in, as victims and advocates demand accountability and justice for survivors.