The new inquiry needs a sharp focus on the reality of this horrific abuse. A process hijacked by opportunists will only fail victims again
P
oison runs through every aspect of the grooming gang horror. Every element stirs up a particular political bile, from those pathetically vulnerable girls and their vile exploiters, to those well-chosen cases weaponised by the Tories and Faragists with no record of concern for the general plight of children in care.
It’s odd that the Tories should wade in so strenuously when they were in power for the vast majority of this sorry saga, provoking a stream of inquiries, which they mostly ignored. Labour thought the seven years and £187m of Alexis Jay’s second inquiry quite enough. So did she, echoing Keir Starmer’s preference for “action not words”, and for avoiding yet more of the analysis paralysis of the Grenfell years, the infected blood scandal and ongoing Covid inquiries, which satisfy few.
A series of five local investigations was planned, starting in Oldham. Starmer sent Louise Casey to do an audit, and she has returned suggesting a novel format, with a national umbrella body to oversee local inquiries with statutory teeth to compel witnesses to come forward. “Gotcha! U-turn!” shout Reform, the Tories and their favourable front pages, fighting in the political playground regardless of the substance. U-turns, second thoughts, listening to critics and responding to new facts are usually a good thing in governments: we could do with a few more.
