A national inquiry into grooming gangs, announced by Keir Starmer in June, is currently facing significant challenges and delays, despite the long history of disclosures revealing that thousands of girls and women across UK towns and cities were groomed and raped by street-based groups. These gangs often displayed a pattern in which men, frequently of Asian and Pakistani origin, exploited vulnerable girls, with nearly all reported cases being historical, dating back to the 1990s and 2000s.

This is not the first time such issues have been investigated. An independent inquiry into institutional sexual abuse of children, launched in 2015 and led by Professor Alexis Jay, included grooming gangs in its scope and published its final report in 2022. However, survivors and their legal representatives felt that the Jay inquiry did not go far enough, with some victims claiming it avoided confronting the cultural factors behind predominantly Asian gangs exploiting young white women.

Under mounting pressure from survivors, as well as political opponents in the Conservative Party and Reform UK, Starmer commissioned an audit led by Louise Casey. One of Casey’s key recommendations was to establish “a new national inquiry to direct local investigations and hold institutions to account for past failures.”

The new inquiry has since been plagued by ongoing tensions and setbacks. A suitable judge to chair the inquiry has not yet been identified, and one of the initially named candidates, former senior social worker Annie Hudson (who also served as director of children’s services for Lambeth and chair of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel), withdrew her candidacy on Tuesday following intense media coverage. This leaves Jim Gamble, a former head of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Special Branch in Belfast and former deputy chief constable, as the only publicly known candidate, although Home Office sources have indicated that other candidates remain under consideration.

Further compounding the inquiry’s troubles, three abuse survivors have resigned from the victims and survivors liaison panel in protest. “Elizabeth” (not her real name) stepped down on Tuesday, joining Fiona Goddard and Ellie-Ann Reynolds, who resigned on Monday. Their resignations stem from deep dissatisfaction with the inquiry’s direction, including concerns over the suitability of the shortlisted chair candidates, a former social worker and a police chief. Goddard explicitly stated that having senior figures from professions previously implicated in cover-ups would amount to “letting services mark their own homework,” reflecting a lack of trust in official bodies due to years of failings and corruption.

Survivors have also accused the Home Office and ministers of sidelining them, manipulating the agenda, and attempting to dilute the inquiry’s focus. Reynolds said the “final turning point” for her was an attempt to broaden the inquiry’s remit “in ways that downplay the racial and religious motivations behind our abuse”, an allegation that government sources have denied. Elizabeth described the process as feeling “scripted and predetermined” rather than emerging from genuine dialogue with survivors, calling it “a cover-up of a cover-up” that has created a “toxic environment.”

Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips has publicly addressed these criticisms, denying claims of a cover-up and insisting that the government is “committed to exposing the failures” to tackle “these appalling crimes.” Phillips, who has extensive experience working with abuse victims, rejected concerns that the inquiry would be diluted, stating it would “remain laser-focused on grooming gangs.” She noted that Louise Casey was explicit in not recommending a judicial-led process for the inquiry, given that “no institution in our country hasn’t failed” these victims. While expressing regret over the survivors’ departures, Phillips stressed that victims are not a “homogeneous group” and reaffirmed her commitment to engage with all victims, regardless of their opinions. Downing Street also acknowledged that victims have been let down in the past by the prioritisation of community relations.

Despite Phillips’ assurances, the Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Philp, has declared that the inquiry into grooming gangs is “descending into chaos.” Phillips, however, maintains that allegations of the inquiry being diluted or intentionally delayed are “false,” further clarifying that the victims’ panel from which Reynolds and Goddard resigned was managed by NWG, a grooming gang charity, not by the government.