UK announces investigations into child rape gangs after pressure from Musk

(Bloomberg) — British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced a series of local investigations into so-called child grooming gangs just weeks after billionaire Elon Musk stepped up pressure on the government to hold a national inquiry into this decades-old problem.

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Cooper told the House of Commons on Thursday that she had asked House of Lords member Louise Casey to conduct an “audit” to fill an evidence gap that has hampered previous investigations into child sexual exploitation , including gang ethnicity. and the victims.

She also appointed Tom Crowther, a lawyer who oversaw a previous investigation into child sexual abuse in the town of Telford, to work with local authorities in Oldham and four other as-yet-undefined locations to carry out local investigations. .

The government will “provide stronger national support for local investigations where they are needed to get to the truth and bring justice to victims and survivors,” Cooper said.

The announcement marks a partial step back from Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who had opposed demands from Musk and others to launch a new national inquiry into child rapist gangs. The Prime Minister had argued that his priority was to follow up on the recommendations of a previous inquiry published in 2022 and of which the previous Conservative administration had failed to implement all 20 recommendations. Earlier this month, the Commons rejected a Conservative attempt to impose a new review.

By organizing a series of localized investigations, Starmer is giving victims a chance to be heard, without giving in to demands made earlier this year by Musk on the social media platform he owns, X. The Man richest man in the world had attacked the Labor government rejected an investigation, criticized the prime minister’s previous record as Britain’s chief prosecutor and hurled insults at Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips .

“Effective local surveys can delve into much greater detail and provide more locally relevant answers and changes than a lengthy national survey can provide,” Cooper said.

Thursday’s announcement comes after Starmer’s spokesperson last week refused to rule out a future investigation, while Phillips told the Electoral Dysfunction podcast that “nothing is ruled out”, suggesting victims could have such an investigation if they wished.

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