1 week ago Starmer says welfare concessions are ‘common sense’ but dodges funding question – UK politics live

No 10 has offered significant concessions to the rebels amid fears over Tuesday’s voteNo 10 climbs down over welfare billStephen Kinnock, the care minister, was the government voice on the airwaves this morning. Here are the main points he made about the welfare bill U-turn.Kinnock rejected claims that the U-turn was a sign of weakness. When it was put to him on the Today programme that this move, coming after the U-turns on winter fuel payments and a national inquiry into grooming gangs, showed that if Keir Starmer was pushed, he would give in, Kinnock replied:I think if you talk to people out there in the country, they respond very positively to politicians listening, engaging, recognising that you don’t get everything right from day one every time, and making the adjustments and the changes that are needed.And this prime minister will always put the country first. He puts country before party, and he does the right thing for the country.He defended having a “staggered” approach t...

Politics

2 w. ago The conversation with Andy Burnham that led to the grooming gangs U

The government announced this week that a national inquiry into grooming gangs will go ahead. This is why

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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...

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2 w. ago Labour MP who was groomed as teenager shares powerful message over Tory 'point scoring'

Natalie Fleet delivered a powerful message to Kemi Badenoch as she said 'I do not know how she dare' after the Tory leader claimed victory when a national inquiry into the grooming gang scandal was announced

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2 w. ago What the national grooming gang inquiry means for Oldham's local investigation

The government will need to discuss with the council how to proceed

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2 w. ago Asylum seekers and foreign nationals are behind 'significant proportion' of child sex grooming gang cases, Casey report warns

The long-awaited review by Whitehall troubleshooter Louise Casey was released yesterday after being commissioned at the start of the year.

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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 Police to collect ethnicity data for all cases of child sexual abuse

Requirement made as review finds ‘over-representation’ of Asian men among grooming gang suspectsYvette Cooper has condemned damning failures by the authorities to protect children from grooming gangs as she announced there would be a formal requirement on police for the first time to collect ethnicity and nationality data for all cases of child sexual abuse and exploitation.The home secretary confirmed the government would accept all 12 recommendations of Louise Casey’s rapid review, including setting up a statutory inquiry into institutional failures, marking a significant reversal after months of pressure on Labour to act. Continue reading...

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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

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3 w. ago Authorities were in denial over Asian grooming gangs for fear of appearing racist, damning report finds as Yvette Coper apologises to victims... and FINALLY orders national inquiry

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said that those who had suffered 'despicable crimes' had been 'let down' by the authorities.

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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

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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

3 w. ago ‘Hundreds of people’ could deserve jail over grooming gangs cover

Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, says there was deliberate action by some police, council leaders, social workers and prosecutors to hide abuseStarmer launches new grooming gangs investigationIn a recent report the Commons defence committee said that the armed forces covenant, a legal promise to veterans saying that they should not lose out when accessing government services because of their service in the military, should be extended. It said:While some people had positive experiences to share, a worrying number [of veterans] felt that the covenant had been ineffective—or worse yet, had been disregarded—when they had cited it. As a result, many continued to face disadvantages as a result of their service in areas like healthcare, education, employment and welfare .We welcome the government’s intention to extend the covenant legal duty, which currently requires some public service providers to give due regard to the covenant’s principles when providing certain housing, health...

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3 w. ago Damning report into grooming gangs failures set to be released TODAY after Keir Starmer's humiliating U

The review by Baroness Casey is expected to conclude that years of warnings about abuse of white girls were 'institutionally ignored for fear of racism'.

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3 w. ago Grooming gangs: Nationwide police operation announced as Baroness Casey’s review findings to be published

Earlier this year, the Government dismissed calls for a public inquiry

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3 w. ago Grooming gangs: Baroness Casey’s review findings to be published after Keir Starmer U

Earlier this year, the Government dismissed calls for a public inquiry.

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3 w. ago SUE REID: I uncovered the grooming gangs scandal 15 years ago

At last Sir Keir Starmer has announced a national inquiry into the mass-rape gangs prowling the streets of our towns and cities to target young girls for sex. And not before time.

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3 w. ago Keir Starmer bows to pressure to launch new grooming gangs investigation

New probe and statutory public inquiry will be a means to get ‘truth and justice’, home secretary saysKeir Starmer has launched a sweeping national operation to investigate grooming gangs and a statutory inquiry into institutional failure, marking a significant reversal after months of pressure on Labour to act.The National Crime Agency (NCA), the UK’s top investigative body, has been tasked with leading a coordinated national push to reopen historic group-based child sexual abuse cases and identify offenders who slipped through the cracks of previous police efforts. Continue reading...

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