‘You must acknowledge equally that your government did not introduce this for 14 years previously’
On Sky News yesterday, presenter Wilfred Frost tore apart the shadow home secretary Chris Philp’s claim that Labour had to be dragged into agreeing to a national grooming gang inquiry, and only ‘finally agreed’ after six months.
Frost quickly countered that if Philp criticises Keir Starmer for being “dragged into” the decision six months late, “You must acknowledge equally that your government did not introduce this for 14 years previously.”
The shadow home secretary completely ignored the question, claiming that the last government did a lot on grooming gangs.
He referenced the 2014 Rotherham inquiry, the Independent Inquiry into child sex abuse, and a grooming gangs task force that led to 550 arrests.
Philp claimed that what changed things was that Oldham Council called for a national inquiry into the grooming ‘coverup’ after the general election. He claimed the Labour government had “contemptuously dismissed” Oldham Council’s request.
Frost pressed Philp, stating: “Essentially what I’m hearing is the only legitimate excuse you have for not introducing a statutory national inquiry is that Oldham Council hadn’t called for it yet.”
Philp continued to say that the previous government did a lot, to which Frost responded: “I get that, but you weren’t when you were in government as a junior or senior minister in various different roles calling for one then.”
Frost added: “And then the day the election passes you change your tune.”
“You’re saying the only difference is that Oldham Council called for it. As a government you could have done this yourselves earlier.” Philp really got called out for his excuses there.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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