Labour minister squirms as he is repeatedly quizzed over whether or not intercourse abuse victims are ‘leaping on the far-Right bandwagon’ by calling for a brand new grooming gangs inquiry

A Labour minister was left squirming after being repeatedly quizzed over whether sex abuse victims are ‘jumping on the far-Right bandwagon’ by calling for a new inquiry.

Stephen Kinnock, a minister in the Department of Health and Social Care, faced a grilling amid the furious political row over grooming gangs.

Both the Tories and Reform UK have demanded a fresh national inquiry, while tech billionaire Elon Musk has launched a barrage of attacks on Labour over the issue.

In a swipe at his critics yesterday, Sir Keir Starmer hit out at politicians ‘calling for inquiries because they want to jump on a bandwagon of the far-Right’.

The Prime Minister’s comments saw him accused of ‘smear tactics’ and triggered another backlash against Labour.

Appearing on BBC‘s Newsnight, Mr Kinnock attempted to defend Sir Keir’s remarks and said the debate around grooming gangs ‘has to be based on the facts’.

He said those calling for a fresh probe ‘need to explain why we need another review and inquiry’.

Mr Kinnock added that local inquiries had already been held in some parts of the UK, while Professor Alexis Jay chaired the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

Stephen Kinnock, a minister in the Department of Health and Social Care, faced a grilling amid the furious political row over grooming gangs

Mr Kinnock was asked by BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire whether a victim of sexual exploitation, who is also calling for an inquiry, was ‘jumping on the far-Right bandwagon’

In a swipe at his critics yesterday, Sir Keir Starmer hit out at politicians ‘calling for inquiries because they want to jump on a bandwagon of the far-Right’

‘Let’s get on and implement those,’ Mr Kinnock said of Prof Jay’s recommendations from her 2022 report.

‘Of course we monitor, we’re vigilant – if we see that the implementation of those measures is not working for some reason then, ok yeah, we may need to go back to the drawing board.

‘But let’s get on with what’s on the table and it’s frankly shameful those recommendations have been there since 2022 and they’ve never been implemented.’

Mr Kinnock was then asked whether a victim of sexual exploitation in Telford, who is also calling for a national inquiry, was ‘jumping on the far-Right bandwagon’.

‘The Jay review was very clear that it will put institutions in place… those institutions will, I believe, deliver on what that young person, that victim of abuse, is calling for,’ he replied.

‘I believe the Jay inquiry, we believe as a Government, they will deliver on what is needed.

‘If they don’t, then of course we need to be very vigilant and make sure we’re putting the measures in place that work.’

After being repeatedly pressed for a direct answer, Mr Kinnock later told presenter Victoria Derbyshire: ‘Politicians are being opportunistic when they have completely failed to take action on this issue.

‘And are now calling for it all to go back to the drawing board, back to square one, to have another review.

‘That feels to me like political point-scoring. I think that’s very, very different to the case that you’ve mentioned.

‘Because that young person was not in a position of responsibility, wasn’t in government to take the decisions that should have been taken.’

Asked if Tory leader Kemi Badenoch was ‘jumping on the far-Right bandwagon’ by calling for a new inquiry, Mr Kinnock said: ‘That’s what it looks like to me.’

There has been a renewed focus on grooming gangs after the Government declined to commission an inquiry into sexual exploitation in Oldham, insisting it should be locally-led.

Prof Jay this morning said ‘the time has passed’ for another lengthy examination of grooming gangs and that the current row is ‘distracting from the issues’.

She produced a report on grooming gangs in Rotherham in 2014 and then chaired the national inquiry into various forms of child sexual abuse which reported in 2022.

‘We have learned a lot from those reviews that have already been undertaken,’ she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. ‘Locally, people need to step up to the mark and do the things that have been recommended.

‘I think that the time has passed for more inquiries. We’ve had enough of inquiries, consultations and discussions, and especially for those victims and survivors who’ve had the courage to come forward, and they clearly want action.

‘We have set out what action is required and people should just get on with it. Locally and nationally.’