Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips has rejected allegations that the national grooming gangs inquiry is being diluted or deliberately delayed, calling such claims "false". Her response comes after two survivors of child sexual abuse resigned from their roles in the probe, citing concerns about the Home Office's handling of the issue.
Phillips told the Commons the inquiry will "remain laser focused on grooming gangs" despite the criticism. She said she "regrets" the resignations but stressed the inquiry panel is independently managed by a grooming gang charity and that she does not know who is on the victims' panel.
Survivors cite toxic environment
Fiona Goddard and Ellie-Ann Reynolds resigned from the inquiry's victims and survivors liaison panel on Monday. In her resignation letter, Goddard described a "toxic, fearful environment" and warned of a "high risk of people feeling silenced all over again" from the process.
Reynolds said her final turning point was "the push to change the remit, to widen it in ways that downplay the racial and religious motivations behind our abuse". The resignations come amid mounting pressure on the Government to set out terms of reference and appoint a chair for the inquiry, first announced by the Prime Minister in June.
Chair appointment controversy
Both women had expressed concern about the candidates shortlisted to chair the inquiry. One is reportedly a former police chief and the other a social worker, which Goddard called "a disturbing conflict of interest" that could negatively impact survivor engagement.
Reports suggest one of the prospective candidates has since withdrawn from the process. Phillips told MPs the appointment of the chairperson is at a "critical stage" but said Baroness Louise Casey, who recommended the inquiry, explicitly did not want a judicial-led process.
Political pressure intensifies
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the inquiry is "descending into chaos" and repeated his call for a judge to chair the process. Phillips defended the approach, saying: "If anyone in this House can find me an institution that didn't fail these girls over the years, including our courts who took the children away from grooming gang victims, who criminalised some of them. There is no institution in our country that hasn't failed."
The minister said she would continue meeting with victims to gather their feedback and progress with their perspectives in mind. She stressed the need to avoid delays like those seen in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse while ensuring thoroughness.
Expert voices concerns
Dame Jasvinder Sanghera, a campaigner against forced marriage and abuse, blamed "a failure of leadership" for the problems. She told BBC Radio 4: "The first rule of survivor engagement is you set the foundation, you develop an environment where survivors feel safe, respected and included. It feels to me now that they've been invited to the party, but not invited to the dance."
Reynolds told LBC that among her reasons for stepping away was that the panel set conditions preventing survivors from seeking support from families or other survivors, which she described as "more of a manipulation tactic". She told GB News: "They've tried to divide us, to weaken us, and if we can't seek support from each other, we've all then got to be divided."
Government defends inquiry approach
Downing Street responded to accusations that the inquiry's remit was being widened to downplay racial and religious motivations behind abuse. Sir Keir Starmer's (Labour) spokesman said the Prime Minister is aware victims have been let down by prioritisation of community relations over their welfare.
The spokesman highlighted that the Casey Report "was clear that a disproportionate number of Asian men have been responsible for grooming gangs". The Government is making it mandatory for police to collect data on the ethnicity of suspects, with the inquiry's terms to be established once a chair is appointed.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
