Former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries revealed the Cabinet never discussed a grooming gang inquiry despite agitating for one now – as they’re accused of ‘political opportunism’
Victoria Derbyshire grills Nadine Dorries on grooming gangs
Nadine Dorries has revealed the Tory cabinet never discussed a national inquiry into grooming gangs when she was a member – despite agitating for one now.
The former Culture Secretary squirmed as she was pressed over Conservative “political opportunism”. Kemi Badenoch will push for a vote in the Commons after seizing on the scandal, which has been in the spotlight following a furious tirade by Elon Musk.
But by doing so they would halt the progress of a Bill aimed at tackling child safety. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson branded this “absolutely sickening”.
Ms Dorries, who was Culture Secretary under Boris Johnson, said former Home Secretaries Dame Priti Patel and Suella Braverman had questions to answer about the inaction. She said a new inquiry into grooming gangs was never discussed when she was in Cabinet.
Asked why the Tories had not done it when they had the chance, she told the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire: “That’s a good question.” She went on: “I was Culture Secretary, this didn’t even come anywhere near my desk.”
Pressed further she revealed: “I can assure you that the entire time I was Cabinet, this was never discussed.”
The Tories have seized on calls for Labour to open a fresh inquiry into grooming gangs. This the despite a seven-year Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) making 20 recommendations in 2022 which have not been implemented.
Labour says it wants to focus on putting these in place, and on Monday Yvette Cooper announced it will be mandatory in law to report sexual abuse. Meanwhile Professor Alexia Jay, who headed the IICSA, said holding a new inquiry would cause further delays for victims.
Asked whether the Tories were guilty of “the definition of political opportunism”, Ms Dorries said: “I think it’s the processes that take place within government and how governments and the civil service function, which makes delivering some of those recommendations almost impossible.”
It comes a day after Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick – who has made a number of inflammatory statements in the past week, including claiming “alien cultures” have arrived in the UK – was skewered in a BBC radio interview.
On the BBC’s Today Programme, he was challenged on his record by Nick Robinson, who said: “I’ve checked (Parliament record) Hansard today, and it’s not a perfect test. When you put in the name Robert Jenrick Grooming? No mention.
“Grooming gangs? No mention. Rotherham? No mention. Oldham? No mention. Rochdale? No mention. Child sexual abuse? No mention, Mr Jenrick. Child rape? No mention.
“You have not raised – or have you, please correct me if my search is wrong – the issue of child rape and child sexual abuse that you are so energised about. You have no evidence you raised it as a minister and you have no evidence that you’ve raise it in the House of Commons.”
“Nick,” Mr Jenrick replied. “I wrote about this last year and I was criticised by the media for doing so.”
Former Tory Justice Select Committee Chair Sir Bob Neill told Times Radio that Mr Jenrick’s use of “excessive hyperbole” has damaged calls for a public inquiry into grooming gangs and mounts to “a very ill-advised bit of self-publicity” .
The Tories will call for a national inquiry by putting forward an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. Ms Phillipson said: “The question for the Conservatives today is why they are intent on blocking this landmark piece of child protection legislation that would keep the very children safe that they claim they are concerned about.”
She added: “They come along today as we set out legislation to protect the very children they claim to care about and they intend to block it and kill it stone dead. It is absolutely sickening.”
