Truth behind Tory ministers’ conferences on grooming gangs when in energy – ‘all discuss no motion’

The Tories have been accused of being “all talk” after attending meeting after meeting on child sexual abuse when in power but failing to take any action.

Former Conservative ministers did not implement any of the recommendations from a major inquiry into grooming gangs despite having more than 20 meetings, events or roundtables on child abuse after it was published, research by Labour has revealed. It comes as Tory leader Kemi Badenoch joins calls for another national inquiry into child grooming despite herself not raising the issue while in power.

Following the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA)’s final report in October 2022, former Home Secretaries James Cleverly and Suella Braverman had multiple discussions with Alexis Jay, who led the probe. Former Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan, Ex-Security Minister Tom Tugendhat, then-Policing Minister Chris Philp and former Safeguarding Minister Sarah Dines also had meetings with tech companies or children’s charities about child sexual abuse and exploitation.

Many ministerial meetings referenced child sexual abuse or exploitation and at least nine of the discussions specifically referred either to Ms Jay or the IICSA – yet no action was taken in response. On Tuesday Ms Braverman admitted her party “could have done more” on grooming gangs when it was in government.

In 2023, Ms Jay severely criticised the Tory government’s “inadequate response” to her inquiry’s recommendations. She said their official response was little more than “very weak and, at times, apparently disingenuous”. “As a result, the hopes and expectations of victims and survivors will be dashed yet again, and the scourge of child sexual abuse will continue to increase unabated,” Ms Jay added. Last week she reiterated that “we’ve had enough of inquiries”.

The Prime Minister has accused Ms Badenoch of jumping on the “bandwagon” after Elon Musk launched a barrage of attacks on the Labour government after it rejected a new national inquiry. Keir Starmer, who was Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) from 2008 to 2013, has maintained that victims need action, not more inquiries, and has hit out the Tories for failing to implement Ms Jay’s recommendations while in power.

Since being elected to power last July, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced action on three key recommendations including introducing a new criminal offence for failing to report or cover up child sexual abuse.

A Labour spokeswoman said: “The Conservatives spent years dragging their feet and failing to act on the Jay report, whilst meeting with Professor Jay and paying lip service to victims of these vile crimes. The Conservatives were clearly all talk and no action. Now is the time for delivery. This Labour government will act at pace to protect young girls from horrific sexual abuse. We will protect women and girls where the Tories failed.”

The PM’s spokesman reiterated on Tuesday: “What we hear from victims is that they want to see action and that’s not just taking forward the recommendations of the Jay inquiry. They want to see justice delivered, with regards to the perpetrators and those responsible. We’ve a national inquiry with 15 separate strands that engage with 7,000 victims.

“The idea of all of those victims and survivors having to give their testimonies again at a point where these recommendations from a previous national inquiry still have not been taken forward, we don’t want to put people through that. We’re listening to victims and what we hear loud and clear is they want the Government to focus on action. So that is what we’re focused on.”

The Conservative Party was contacted for comment.