Ministers have finally named a chair for the national grooming gangs inquiry after months of delays.
Former children’s commissioner Baroness Longfield has been announced as the head of the probe by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
Ms Mahmood told the Commons that Lady Longfield had ‘dedicated her life’ to protecting young people.
Outside the House, the peer – who intends to stand down from Parliament for her new role – said her inquiry ‘will not shy away from difficult or uncomfortable truths wherever we find them’.
But survivors who quit the panel dismissed the idea that the probe could be independent given Lady Longfield’s ties to Labour.
There has been mounting pressure on the Government to move forward with the process, first announced by Keir Starmer in June. It is now expected to start next year and report in 2029.
Former children’s commissioner Baroness Longfield is being announced as head of the probe by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood in the Commons
Ms Mahmood told the Commons that Lady Longfield had ‘dedicated her life’ to protecting young people and the inquiry will act ‘without fear or favour’
In October, the final two candidates to chair the inquiry dropped out sparking concerns it would take months to get someone in post.
Five women also resigned from the inquiry’s victim liaison panel in a row over the scope of the probe being potentially widened.
Home Office minister Jess Phillips faced calls to quit from some victims, while others threatened to walk away if she did not stay in post.
The inquiry follows a recommendation made by Baroness Louise Casey in her rapid audit looking at the scale of grooming gangs across the country.
Ms Mahmood said: ‘For years, the victims of these awful crimes were ignored. First abused by vile predators, they then found themselves belittled and even blamed, when it was justice they were owed.
‘Today, I have announced the Chair and panel of an Inquiry which will shine a bright light on this dark moment in our history.
‘They will do so alongside the victims of these awful crimes who have waited for too long to see justice done.
‘This Inquiry is theirs, not ours. So I call on all those present to put politics aside, for a moment, and to support this Chair and her panel in the pursuit of the truth.’
Lady Longfield said: ‘The scourge of grooming gangs has not been adequately tackled over past decades.
‘That that must change and I will do everything in my power to make this happen.’
Lady Longfield will be supported by Zoë Billingham and Eleanor Kelly as panellists.
Ms Mahmood said: ‘Zoe is a former inspector at His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), and currently serves as chair of Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust.
‘She brings deep expertise in safeguarding and policing, specifically in holding forces to account.’
Ms Mahmood later added: ‘Eleanor is the former chief executive of Southwark Council.
‘In 2017, she supported the survivors of the London Bridge terrorist attacks and the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire of the same year.
‘Together, the chair and panel bring deep experience of championing children’s rights, knowledge of policing and local government, and crucially, a proven track record of holding powerful institutions to account.
‘Each individual was recommended by Baroness Casey, and her recommendation follows recent engagement with victims.’
However, former panel member Fiona Goddard complained that there had not been consultation.
Ms Goddard posted on X: ‘All us that resigned from the panel over concerns of this just being a box ticking exercise and being used by the government to give the impression of engagement without actually being listened to, are about to be proven right.’
Another survivor who quit the panel, Elizabeth Harper posted on X: ‘While Annie longfield has done some undoubtedly amazing work, but this needed to be legally led.’
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said it should not have taken six months to find a chair ‘and the threat of a vote in Parliament to agree to this inquiry in the first place’.
Kemi Badenoch heaped pressure on the government yesterday by accusing the PM of lacking the ‘political courage’ to kick-start an inquiry.
The Tory leader said it must examine the ethnicity and religion of offenders who targeted mainly teenage girls in English towns.
At a press conference yesterday, attended by gang victims, they demanded a judge be appointed to run the inquiry.
Mrs Badenoch said that survivors were ‘losing hope’ and ‘need politicians now to show courage to stand with them’.
Kemi Badenoch has insisted the inquiry must examine the ethnicity and religion of offenders who targeted mainly teenage girls in English towns
‘A national inquiry must leave no stone unturned,’ she said.
‘It must investigate councils, the police and even the Government if necessary. It must be time-limited, and it must consider the role of ethnicity, religion and other cultural factors.
‘Baroness (Louise) Casey’s own report admitted that many of these cases are committed by people of Asian and Pakistani ethnicities.
‘Her own report said that those who downplay the ethnicity of perpetrators are continuing to let down society, local communities and the victims. We agree.’