The Conservative leader said there needs to be a full national inquiry hours after Elon Musk’s bizarre intervention on X
Kemi Badenoch has been accused of hypocrisy after calling for a full national inquiry into the “rape gangs scandal” on X yesterday, just hours after Elon Musk weighed in on the issue.
In response, a former chief prosecutor and police whistleblower pointed out that “lengthy and expensive inquiries” into child grooming were not acted upon by the previous Conservative government.
In a post on X, Badenoch said: “The time is long overdue for a full national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal. Trials have taken place all over the country in recent years but no one in authority has joined the dots.”
Sammy Woodhouse, a survivor of sexual abuse in Rotherham responded to Badenoch’s post, saying: “I’ve met with your Party for 12 years about this when you were in power. I asked for an inquiry into every town and city, none of you cared.
“Now you need the vote you want to speak on it?”.
Nazir Afzal, the ex-chief prosecutor who was central to the prosecution of the Rochdale grooming gang said that “There has been an independent inquiry into child sexual abuse, the catalyst for which was so-called grooming gangs. It cost millions and the last government failed to accept much of its recommendations.”
Professor Alexis Jay, who led an inquiry into child sexual abuse in England and Wales in 2022, said back in November that she felt “frustrated” that none of the report’s 20 recommendations to tackle abuse had been implemented more than two years later.
Maggie Oliver, a former detective at Greater Manchester Police and whistleblower, said she did not want to hear more “empty promises and political manoeuvrings”.
Badenoch’s call for a new national inquiry came after Elon Musk posted a series of bizarre messages on X, demanding that Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, be released from prison.
Musk falsely claimed that Robinson had been imprisoned for exposing the truth about grooming gangs, when he was sentenced to 18 months in prison for contempt of court.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
To reach hundreds of thousands of new readers we need to grow our donor base substantially.
That's why in 2024, we are seeking to generate 150 additional regular donors to support Left Foot Forward's work.
We still need another 117 people to donate to hit the target. You can help. Donate today.