adminConservative Leader Calls for National Inquiry into UK’s ‘Rape Gangs Scandal’ After Controversial Rejection of Government-Led Investigation
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for a comprehensive national inquiry into the UK’s ongoing “rape gangs scandal,” following controversy surrounding a recent decision by Home Office minister Jess Phillips. Phillips rejected Oldham Council’s request for a government-led inquiry into historic cases of child sexual exploitation, suggesting the council should take the lead on the investigation instead.
The October decision, first reported by GB News on Wednesday, quickly gained attention, with Elon Musk sharing it on his platform X, sparking further reactions from senior Tories. Badenoch, speaking out on X, expressed concern that despite numerous trials across the country, the authorities have failed to connect the dots. “2025 must be the year that victims finally receive justice,” she wrote.
The call for an inquiry comes amid several high-profile investigations into the systematic sexual abuse of young women by organized gangs, with cases in Rotherham, Rochdale, Bristol, Derbyshire, and Cornwall drawing widespread attention. These incidents have ignited heated discussions, with some far-right groups focusing on the role of men of Pakistani descent in the exploitation.
A previous inquiry into Rotherham uncovered that over 1,400 children were sexually abused over a span of 16 years, primarily by British Pakistani men. This revelation has further intensified calls for a full national inquiry into the scope and depth of the abuse across the country.
Image credit: kemi badenoch official cabinet portrait 2022: Wikipedia Commons
