Training Secretary Bridget Phillipson has accused the Conservatives of being “bandwagon jumpers” who “don’t care about children” as they attempt to pressure a nationwide grooming gangs inquiry.
The Tories have tabled an modification to the Kids’s Wellbeing and Colleges Invoice, being debated on Wednesday, to require a statutory inquiry into grooming gangs after safeguarding minister Jess Phillips rejected requires one.
Passing the modification wouldn’t essentially pressure the federal government to launch an inquiry, however might imply the complete invoice – aimed toward bettering the safeguarding of kids – fails to get by parliament.
Politics newest: Tories informed to ‘put up or shut up’
The training secretary stated: “The measures that I’m setting out today and the legislation in many ways go further because it puts a requirement on all councils to have teams working to keep children safe.
“And the bandwagon jumpers which have come alongside in current days, they do not care about youngsters, they do not care about ensuring that we cease this and we take motion.
“They had years to do it and they didn’t do it.”
The grooming gangs scandal has been again within the headlines over the previous week as tech billionaire Elon Musk has accused Sir Keir Starmer of being “complicit” as he was head of public prosecutions from 2008-2013 when lots of the gangs had been working.
Mr Musk has additionally attacked Ms Phillips for rejecting a nationwide inquiry as she stated it must be carried out by Oldham Council, who requested it.
The Conservatives did the identical in 2022.
Sir Keir and Ms Phillips addressed Mr Musk’s assaults on them, saying their data present how a lot they’ve achieved to guard youngsters.
“I’ve got bigger and more important things to be thinking about.”
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Jess Phillips reacts to Musk’s remarks
Ms Phillipson stated among the Conservative MPs who’ve been saying it was a “national scandal” that nothing occurred after the inquiry had been ministers when it was printed in 2022.
She stated: “I agree it’s a national scandal that nothing happened.
“Have they got a mirror? I imply, they’re the very folks which are answerable for the failure to behave, and they’re the identical very folks in the present day, the Conservatives who intend to dam our laws to maintain youngsters secure.
“I thought there was a limit to how far they would sink. And I was wrong.”
Laura Trott, Conservative shadow training secretary, stated her authorities did act on the nationwide inquiry, with Rishi Sunak organising the Grooming Gangs Taskforce in 2023, which noticed 550 arrests and 4,000 youngsters recognized and guarded in a yr.
Nonetheless, Ms Phillipson added: “The Conservatives can back this or, as they’re proposing, can kill stone dead this key landmark legislation.
“They’ve spent the final week or so touring studios like this, telling your viewers that they care about maintaining youngsters secure.
“Well they should put up or shut up, vote for this legislation, and do precisely that. Or is it all about grabbing a cheap headline and political opportunism?”
