UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Justice minister Sarah Sackman insisted victims can still trust the grooming inquiry after two survivors quit, citing secrecy and Home Office interference.
As reported by The Independent, Sarah Sackman defended the grooming gangs inquiry after two survivors resigned, saying victims can remain confident in the investigation.
The two survivors, Fiona Goddard and Ellie-Ann Reynolds, resigned from the victims and survivors panel, accusing the Home Office of serious failings.
What did Sarah Sackman say about justice for grooming gang victims?
Sarah Sackman said,
“The grooming gangs scandal and the abuse that was suffered by victims is one of the worst crimes in recent British history.”
She stated,
“As minister for courts, my focus is always on the victims. They can have confidence. This Government has acted in ordering a national inquiry. We’re taking our time to choose the best possible chair to ensure that our response is robust.”
The justice minister said,
“The fact that the Prime Minister is someone that prosecuted grooming gangs before he entered Parliament shows how much this is a priority at the very top of Government, and I want to reassure victims that we will stop at nothing to ensure that they get the justice they deserve.”
What did Robert Jenrick say about the grooming gangs inquiry?
Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick said the investigation should be led by a senior judge with expertise in family and criminal law, potentially from another country, rather than anyone connected to policing or social services.
Referring to the survivor’s resignation, he said “a real, real disappointment from the Government”, saying, “They’ve got to take action now and grip this.”
Mr Jenrick said the resignations “cast a real shadow over the government’s efforts” to launch the inquiry and called on ministers to “grip this” immediately.
What did Ellie-Ann Reynolds and Fiona Goddard say about resignation from the inquiry panel?
Ellie-Ann Reynolds resigned on Monday, October 20, alleging the Home Office held secret meetings and made decisions “we couldn’t question.”
She said,
“The final turning point for me was the push to change the remit, to widen it in ways that downplay the racial and religious motivations behind our abuse.”
Ms Reynolds stated,
“For many of us, these were not incidental factors; they were central to why we were targeted and why institutions failed to act. To erase that truth is to rewrite history.”
Both women expressed unease over the inquiry’s shortlisted chair candidates, reportedly a former police chief and a social worker.
Fiona Goddard added,
“This is a disturbing conflict of interest and I fear the lack of trust in services from years of failings and corruption will have a negative impact in survivor engagement with this inquiry.”
She wrote in her resignation,
“[I was] deeply saddened to learn that someone appointed to a senior position within the inquiry had publicly expressed personal views on grooming gangs that directly contradict findings in the Casey report and survivors’ lived experiences.”
The resignations came after the government faced calls to advance the inquiry, first announced by the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in June, by defining its terms and appointing a chair.
The Prime Minister faced Tory backlash over the resignations, with party leader Kemi Badenoch urging him to “grow a backbone” and “do everything possible to ensure criminal investigations run in parallel now, across the entire system.”
Home Office minister Jess Phillips told MPs the chair’s appointment was in its “final stages,” with survivors and victims involved in the selection panel.
Downing Street said the government was “working flat out to get the right chair in place,” with survivors “absolutely at the heart of what we’re doing,” but refused to provide a “running commentary.”
What did Sabah Kaiser say about blaming “brown men” in the grooming Scandal?
Sabah Kaiser, an adviser to the grooming gang inquiry, warned against blaming “brown men” for the offences.
She is a survivor of child sexual abuse and said that claiming most offences were committed by Asians was “destructive, distracting, and irresponsible.”
Ms Kaiser, acting as the inquiry’s victim liaison officer, said framing UK child sexual abuse as mainly committed by men of Pakistani heritage ignores the experiences of other victims.
She stated,
“The framing of childhood sexual abuse as a crime committed overwhelmingly by gangs of brown men against young white girls is destructive, distracting and irresponsible, but most importantly, it is not based on evidence.”
Ms Kaiser added,
“We need to find new, more effective ways to protect and help all our children, no matter their race, culture or religion. Citing ‘political correctness’ as a barrier to effective responses to child sexual abuse is nothing but an effort to excuse harmful inaction.”
What does the Home Office say about the grooming gang inquiry and alleged speculation?
A Home Office spokesman stated,
“The abuse of children by grooming gangs is one of the most horrific crimes imaginable. Any suggestion that this inquiry is being watered down is completely wrong – we are committed to delivering a robust, thorough inquiry that will get to the truth and provide the answers that survivors have so long campaigned for.”
They added,
“We are working urgently to appoint the best chair to take forward this work and deliver justice, putting victims and survivors at the heart of the process. We are grateful to all those who have shared their insights with us. We share the concerns around unhelpful speculation while this process is live – which is why we will not be providing a running commentary.”
What are grooming gangs in the UK?
Grooming gangs refer to an organised group of men who have been convicted of sexually exploiting children, typically white girls from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Their methods involve “grooming” victims by building trust, offering gifts, alcohol, or drugs, before subjecting them to severe sexual abuse and trafficking.
How many children were abused in grooming scandals?
Rotherham (1997–2013) saw around 1,400 children abused, according to the 2014 Jay Inquiry. In Telford, over 1,000 children were abused over roughly 30 years, per the 2022 independent inquiry.
National estimates of “one million” or “over 250,000” children are considered unreliable.