'Action not inquiries': Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch clash over grooming gangs in stormy PMQs

8 January 2025, 12:29 | Updated: 8 January 2025, 12:45

Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch clashed during a fiery Prime Minister's Questions as the PM urged the Conservative leader to drop her call for a national inquiry on grooming gangs.

Sir Keir said a further inquiry could delay action on tackling child sexual abuse, pointing out that recommendations from a seven-year investigation which reported in 2022 had not yet been implemented.

The Tories have tabled an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill demanding a new national inquiry into gangs, but if MPs backed Ms Badenoch's call it would prevent the legislation making progress.

Mrs Badenoch warned that failing to back an inquiry would fuel concerns about a "cover-up".

But Sir Keir urged the Tory leader to "withdraw her wrecking amendment" to the Government's Bill.

In heated Commons exchanges, Sir Keir said: "This morning, I met some of the victims and survivors of this scandal, and they were clear with me that they want action now, not the delay of a further inquiry."

He said "there have been a number of inquiries, both national and local, including one covering Oldham, and reasonable people can agree or disagree on whether a further inquiry is necessary".

But calling for Mrs Badenoch to pull her "wrecking amendment", the Prime Minister said: "What I find shocking is that anyone in this House would vote down the Children's Wellbeing Bill this afternoon, vital protections for the most vulnerable in our society."

He said the Conservative leader had "jumped on the bandwagon" about grooming gangs but while in office as children's minister and equalities minister "I can't recall her once raising this issue in the House, once calling for a national inquiry".

The Tory leader hit back: "The Prime Minister called for nine inquiries in the last parliament. Does he not see that by resisting this one, people will start to worry about a cover-up?"

She urged the former director of public prosecutions to "be a leader, not a lawyer".

The Prime Minister told the Tory leader that "lies and misinformation and slinging of mud doesn't help one bit".