Kemi Badenoch has claimed that grooming and rape gangs in the UK are made up of “peasants” from “sub-communities” in certain countries, and insists a national inquiry would reveal not only the background of offenders but also why authorities often failed to act.
A Controversial Take on Grooming Gangs
Speaking to GB News, the Conservative leader offered a stark perspective on the criminals involved:
“There are places where, when people behave in that way, a mob turns up and burns their homes down, and then they know that they can’t do that sort of thing. What for me is most extraordinary about this case is that clearly these people thought that they could get away with it.”
Badenoch’s remarks come amid mounting pressure from Tories, Reform UK, and tech billionaire Elon Musk to launch a new inquiry into grooming gangs—something Prime Minister Keir Starmer has so far resisted. Instead, Starmer aims to implement recommendations from the previous, wide-ranging child sexual abuse inquiry led by Professor Alexis Jay.
Labour MPs Shift Stance
Meanwhile, two Labour MPs—Sarah Champion (Rotherham) and Paul Waugh (Rochdale)—have indicated support for a national inquiry, along with Andy Burnham, Labour’s mayor of Greater Manchester. Champion, who has long campaigned on the issue, now believes local inquiries are insufficient because they lack the power to compel evidence from police forces and councils.
“For me, abuse is always rooted in power and exploiting that power,” Champion said. “I don’t think the public are satisfied that we know what the motivations are. Unless we tackle this head-on, the question will keep coming back.”
State Failures in the Spotlight
Badenoch confirmed she has now met some survivors of grooming gangs, detailing shocking accounts of police handing a 12-year-old child back to abusers. According to Badenoch, it’s crucial that any inquiry examines both the cultural issues within certain communities and the institutional failures of state bodies like the police and social services:
“There are a lot of people who have to give an explanation for why they failed a lot of these young girls.”
She also addressed a “culture of silence” in local authorities, describing it as “move along, nothing to see here,” and emphasised the need for a comprehensive, national investigation.
“Peasant” Roots and Taxis
Badenoch didn’t mince words in describing the offenders, characterising them as “from a very poor background, a sort of peasant background” and “sub-communities within those countries.” She argued that many had jobs like taxi driving, which she believes allowed them to exhibit predatory behaviour.
“A national inquiry needs to look at these two cultural issues at the same time,” she said.
Future Inquiry or Further Delay?
The question remains whether Starmer will bend to these calls for a fresh investigation or stick to implementing recommendations from the existing Jay inquiry. With cross-party support growing, and survivors demanding more accountability, the pressure to act is steadily increasing.
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