The amendment was attached to the Schools and Child Welfare Bill. Earlier in the day, Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch said the government risked fueling accusations of “ concealment » by refusing to open an investigation. But Prime Minister Keir Starmer did not give in, arguing that several investigations had already been carried out into abuses perpetrated by these gangs, reports the BBC.
Furthermore, Keir Starmer said “shocked” that Conservative MPs are using a bill aimed at helping children by exploiting the Pakistani gang affair, and accused Badenoch of “ faible leadership ».
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For his part, Conservative Secretary of State Chris Philp described Labor’s vote against the amendment as ” morally bad », assuring that “ we need to have this investigation and we will do everything we can to keep victims at the forefront of this debate and to try to get the government to do the right thing ».
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A political recovery?
Keir Starmer accuses Kemi Badenoch of only recently becoming interested in this matter and claims that she did not act when she was in government. “I don’t remember her ever raising this issue in the House, nor calling for a national inquiry.”he said. Making his case for reopening an investigation during his debate with the Prime Minister, Kemi Badenoch said further investigations could determine “whether there was a racial and cultural motivation for some of these crimes”. She also accused Keir Starmer of not wanting to protect the “Labour politicians who could be complicit” in previous cases and who allegedly participated in covering up the affair.
As a reminder, a local investigation in Rotherham revealed sexual abuse of 1,400 girls over the age of sixteen, mainly by British Pakistani men.
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“Accomplice to rape…”
Elon Musk, tech billionaire and advisor to President-elect Donald Trump, revived the affair and seized on it, notably accusing Keir Starmer of being “ complicit in rape in Britain “. Musk posted a message on social media urging lawmakers to support opening a new investigation, adding that “ Hundreds of thousands of little girls in Britain who have been, and still are, systematically and horribly gang raped deserve some justice in this world ».
Social Protection Minister Jess Phillips, who rejected the request, however said on Sky News that « nothing is excluded ”, adding that “ If victims came to me and said, “actually, we think there needs to be a new national inquiry into this,” I’m going to listen to them ».
A Downing Street spokesperson said discussions with victims’ groups had shown ” that they don’t want to see another national inquiry, they want action to be taken to bring justice ».
