2 w. ago Grooming gang survivors make plea to ‘put politics aside’ ahead of new inquiry

Exclusive: Telford survivors say people are ‘exploiting the exploited’ and push for women to shape investigationThe political “tug-of-war with vulnerable women” abused by grooming gangs must stop ahead of a new national inquiry into the crimes, survivors have told the Guardian.Holly Archer and Scarlett Jones, two survivors who played a key role in a “gold-standard” local inquiry into the crime in Telford, have urged politicians and those without experience of abuse to allow women to shape the investigation. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago MPs back bill to end criminal penalties for abortion in key vote

Parliament votes on biggest shake-up to reproductive rights in England and Wales in 60 yearsCasey says in the past government has talked relentlessly about the need for better data sharing between departments.But she says there is a need to consider making this mandatory.I was there when the tragedy of Soham happened. We knew at that point that if we had had better data sharing there’s a possibility that we might have saved those girls’ lives. There’s certaintly an absolute clarity that intelligence would have been much faster in either avoiding it or or actually finding that dreadful human being earlier.And we’ve known that forever onwards. And so I think there is also an issue that the Home Office can’t drag their feet on, looking at police intelligence systems, given we’ve living in the 21st century. Probably everbody in this room can connect within seconds. Yet we had Befordshire police finding a young boy that was being, in my mind trafficked to London. But the data intelligenc...

Politics

2 w. ago Women being prosecuted under 19th century law passed by men, MP says, before vote on decriminalising abortion – UK politics live

Parliament to vote on decriminalising abortion in what would be biggest shake-up to reproductive rights in England and Wales in 60 yearsCasey says in the past government has talked relentlessly about the need for better data sharing between departments.But she says there is a need to consider making this mandatory.I was there when the tragedy of Soham happened. We knew at that point that if we had had better data sharing there’s a possibility that we might have saved those girls’ lives. There’s certaintly an absolute clarity that intelligence would have been much faster in either avoiding it or or actually finding that dreadful human being earlier.And we’ve known that forever onwards. And so I think there is also an issue that the Home Office can’t drag their feet on, looking at police intelligence systems, given we’ve living in the 21st century. Probably everbody in this room can connect within seconds. Yet we had Befordshire police finding a young boy that was being, in my mind tr...

Politics

2 w. ago MPs to debate proposals to decriminalise abortion – UK politics live

Parliament to vote on decriminalising abortion in what would be biggest shake-up to reproductive rights in England and Wales in 60 yearsCasey says in the past government has talked relentlessly about the need for better data sharing between departments.But she says there is a need to consider making this mandatory.I was there when the tragedy of Soham happened. We knew at that point that if we had had better data sharing there’s a possibility that we might have saved those girls’ lives. There’s certaintly an absolute clarity that intelligence would have been much faster in either avoiding it or or actually finding that dreadful human being earlier.And we’ve known that forever onwards. And so I think there is also an issue that the Home Office can’t drag their feet on, looking at police intelligence systems, given we’ve living in the 21st century. Probably everbody in this room can connect within seconds. Yet we had Befordshire police finding a young boy that was being, in my mind tr...

Politics

2 w. ago Kemi Badenoch insists she is ‘not doing politics’ on grooming gangs after Baroness Casey criticism

Baroness Louise Casey told the BBC she was ‘disappointed’ by the Opposition’s response to her review of the grooming gangs scandal

Politics

2 w. ago Failure to collect ethnicity data on grooming gangs has been a ‘bloody disaster’, Baroness Casey fumes

The author of a damning report also hit out at Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, saying she was ‘disappointed’ by the Conservatives’ response to her review of the scandal

Events

2 w. ago Grooming gangs report author Baroness Casey ‘disappointed’ in Tories for ‘politicising’ scandal

Baroness Casey, the author of a report into grooming gangs, has said that she was “disappointed” that the Conservatives have “politicised” the findings of her audit.

Politics

2 w. ago Badenoch ‘not doing politics’ on grooming gangs as report author urges ‘calm’

Baroness Louise Casey told the BBC she was ‘disappointed’ by the Opposition’s response to her review of the grooming gangs scandal.

Politics

2 w. ago Grooming gangs report's disturbing reality highlighted by two word demand

Baroness Louise Casey, who led a harrowing review into sexual abuse of children by groups of men in England and Wales called for a 'national reset' in the way children are treated

Events

2 w. ago Louise Casey criticises ‘public irresponsibility’ of officials over grooming gang race data – UK politics live

Casey tells MPs she was surprised to be asked to re-engage with issue 10 years after her Rotherham report but says it was right decisionGrooming gangs in UK ‘thrived in culture of ignorance’Casey says in the past government has talked relentlessly about the need for better data sharing between departments.But she says there is a need to consider making this mandatory.I was there when the tragedy of Soham happened. We knew at that point that if we had had better data sharing there’s a possibility that we might have saved those girls’ lives. There’s certaintly an absolute clarity that intelligence would have been much faster in either avoiding it or or actually finding that dreadful human being earlier.And we’ve known that forever onwards. And so I think there is also an issue that the Home Office can’t drag their feet on, looking at police intelligence systems, given we’ve living in the 21st century. Probably everbody in this room can connect within seconds. Yet we had Befordshire po...

Politics

2 w. ago Grooming gangs report author says word ‘Pakistani’ was ‘tippexed out’ of a child’s file

Ignoring ethnicity of grooming gang perpetrators gives racists ‘more ammunition’, says Baroness Casey

Events

3 w. ago Grooming gang victims hope to finally get answers as bombshell report unearths failings

Yvette Cooper offered an 'unequivocal apology' to young girls who were preyed on by grooming gangs as she warned paedophiles have 'nowhere to hide' amid a fresh wave of investigations

Events

3 w. ago Grooming gangs report: 9 things you need to know from major failings to taxi loophole

In a chilling report, Baroness Louise Casey outlined an array of failings from victim blaming, ethnicity data and the lack of mandatory rape charges for vile paedophiles

Events

3 w. ago Cooper says law on rape being tightened so adults cannot use consent as defence against charge of raping child under 16 – UK politics live

Yvette Cooper tells parliament that Louise Casey audit found some cases were downgraded from rape to lesser charges ‘because 13- to 15-year-old is perceived to have consented’Starmer launches new grooming gangs investigationIn his interview on the Sky News this morning Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said that Keir Starmer should apologise for saying in January that those calling for a national inquiry into grooming gangs were jumping on a far-right bandwagon. Kemi Badenoch, his party leader, is also quoted today in an Daily Express splash story saying Starmer should apologise, but she is saying he should apologise for not agreeing to hold a national inquiry earlier.At the Downing Street lobby briefing this morning the No 10 spokesperson was asked if Starmer still thought that people who backed a national inquiry in January were joining a far-right bandwagon. In response, the spokesperson defended the phrase, and insisted that it only applied to Tories who were now demanding...

Society

3 w. ago Grooming gangs scandal: Damning key findings from the Casey review

The Government has now ordered a new national inquiry into grooming gangs after the shocking findings

Events

3 w. ago Audit found ‘clear evidence of representation’ of Asian and Pakistani men in grooming gang cases in local data, MPs told – UK politics live

Yvette Cooper tells parliament that Louise Casey audit found ‘organisations avoided topic for fear of appearing racist or raising community tensions’Starmer launches new grooming gangs investigationIn his interview on the Sky News this morning Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said that Keir Starmer should apologise for saying in January that those calling for a national inquiry into grooming gangs were jumping on a far-right bandwagon. Kemi Badenoch, his party leader, is also quoted today in an Daily Express splash story saying Starmer should apologise, but she is saying he should apologise for not agreeing to hold a national inquiry earlier.At the Downing Street lobby briefing this morning the No 10 spokesperson was asked if Starmer still thought that people who backed a national inquiry in January were joining a far-right bandwagon. In response, the spokesperson defended the phrase, and insisted that it only applied to Tories who were now demanding an inquiry they never set...

Politics

3 w. ago Grooming gangs have 'nowhere to hide' Yvette Cooper vows as damning report published

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has told MPs the Government supports Baroness Louise Casey's call for a full national inquiry into grooming gangs to ensure lessons are learned

Events

3 w. ago Councils and institutions who failed young girls ‘will not be able to hide’ from new grooming gangs inquiry

Sir Keir Starmer bowed to months of mounting pressure over the issue ahead of the publication of a new report by Louise Casey

Events

3 w. ago No 10 says Starmer stands by claim Tories were jumping on far

Prime minister’s comments were about ‘ministers from previous government who sat in office for years and did nothing’, says No 10 spokespersonStarmer launches new grooming gangs investigationIn his interview on the Sky News this morning Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said that Keir Starmer should apologise for saying in January that those calling for a national inquiry into grooming gangs were jumping on a far-right bandwagon. Kemi Badenoch, his party leader, is also quoted today in an Daily Express splash story saying Starmer should apologise, but she is saying he should apologise for not agreeing to hold a national inquiry earlier.At the Downing Street lobby briefing this morning the No 10 spokesperson was asked if Starmer still thought that people who backed a national inquiry in January were joining a far-right bandwagon. In response, the spokesperson defended the phrase, and insisted that it only applied to Tories who were now demanding an inquiry they never set up whe...

Politics

3 w. ago Grooming gangs: 'No hiding' for police, councils and social services who failed 100s of young girls, says No10

Sir Keir Starmer has announced a new inquiry into the scandal after a U-turn

Events