Overview

• The UK government has confirmed that five local inquiries into grooming gangs will proceed, with potential for additional reviews if new evidence emerges.
• Home Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasized increased police investigations as a cornerstone of the strategy, alongside implementing recommendations from Professor Alexis Jay’s 2022 national inquiry.
• Critics, including Blue Labour and victims’ families, argue that local inquiries lack the statutory powers needed to compel testimony and deliver accountability.
• Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips announced a flexible funding model, allowing local councils to allocate resources for inquiries or other victim support measures, sparking accusations of diluting the process.
• Prime Minister Keir Starmer reiterated the government’s focus on enacting existing recommendations over launching a new national inquiry, despite growing pressure from advocacy groups and political opponents.