Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party in the UK, has attributed the grooming gang crisis to immigrants from impoverished regions of foreign countries.
Badenoch reiterated her call for a national inquiry into the issue, suggesting that the problem originates from certain “sub-communities” within countries that are largely rural.
In an interview with GB News, she stated, “One must ask: where do these abusers come from? There’s a lot of misinformation and generalization, and many innocent people are unfairly grouped in with them.”
She continued, “There is a systematic pattern of behavior, not just from one country, but from sub-communities within those countries. These are individuals with particular backgrounds, often from very poor, rural areas, almost isolated from their home countries.”
When questioned about her comments, Downing Street distanced itself from Badenoch’s language, with the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson stating, “It’s not the language Sir Keir Starmer would use, nor do I envision him using it.”
Badenoch has had ongoing disagreements with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer regarding the call for a national inquiry. The government has so far rejected such calls, opting for locally-led inquiries instead.
She argued that a national inquiry would bring the truth to light and hold the responsible parties accountable. “This is about the victims who deserve justice,” she emphasized. “We must ensure that every perpetrator is caught and those who failed to protect children are held accountable.”
Badenoch’s comments followed a call from Labour MP Sarah Champion for a national inquiry into grooming gangs, which would involve a locally-led investigation into the failures of authorities. Champion proposed a “Telford-style” inquiry rolled out by the Home Office to areas that meet certain criteria for further scrutiny.
Champion stated, “Child sexual abuse is endemic in the UK and needs to be recognized as a national priority,” adding that public trust in the government’s ability to prevent and prosecute child abuse, especially sexual exploitation, has eroded.
