Kemi Badenoch calls for national inquiry into UK’s ‘rape gangs scandal’

Kemi Badenoch has called for a national inquiry into the UK’s “rape gangs scandal”, after Elon Musk hit out at Sir Keir Starmer over the issue.

The Conservative Party leader made the call in a post to X on Thursday, arguing that “2025 must be the year that the victims start to get justice”.

This comes after US billionaire Mr Musk appeared to place blame at the Prime Minister’s door, as he argued that “rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice” during Sir Keir’s time as Director of Public Prosecutions.

Reform UK MP for Great Yarmouth Rupert Lowe also called for an inquiry into the issue on Thursday, arguing it has been “disgracefully ignored and suppressed for too long”.

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"Overdue"

In her post, Mrs Badenoch wrote: “The time is long overdue for a full national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal.

“Trials have taken place all over the country in recent years but no one in authority has joined the dots.

“2025 must be the year that the victims start to get justice.”

Responding to Mrs Badenoch, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “Talk is cheap. The Conservatives had 14 years in government to launch an inquiry.

“The establishment has failed the victims of grooming gangs on every level.”

Prior to this, Tesla boss Mr Musk had written on X: “In the UK, serious crimes such as rape require the Crown Prosecution Service’s approval for the police to charge suspects.

“Who was the head of the CPS when rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice?

“Keir Starmer, 2008-2013.”

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"Horror"

Mr Musk also criticised safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, stating she “deserves to be in prison”, after she denied requests from Oldham Council to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham.

In a letter to the council, Ms Phillips said she believes it is “for Oldham Council alone to decide to commission an inquiry into child sexual exploitation locally, rather than for the Government to intervene”.

An Oldham Council spokesman said: “Survivors sit at the heart of our work to end child sexual exploitation. Whatever happens in terms of future inquiries, we have promised them that their wishes will be paramount, and we will not renege on that pledge.”

Mr Lowe said the British people should be able to “see for themselves the extent of the horror” and that the Government should publish “all detail”.

He added: “What is the Home Office currently doing in order to prevent ongoing grooming, rape, exploitation or abuse of young British girls? How many girls are estimated to still be involved with these gangs?

“Will they publish a full nationality breakdown of those convicted for such offences, along with the location of their crimes?”

Report

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse, which published its final report in 2022, described the sexual abuse of children as an “epidemic that leaves tens of thousands of victims in its poisonous wake”.

Led by Professor Alexis Jay, the inquiry looked into abuse by organised groups following multiple convictions of sexual offences against children across the UK between 2010-2014, including in Rotherham, Cornwall, Derbyshire, Rochdale and Bristol.

In November last year, Professor Jay said she felt “frustrated” that none of the probe’s 20 recommendations had been implemented more than two years after its conclusion.

She said: “It’s a difficult subject matter, but it is essential that there’s some public understanding of it.

“But we can only do what we can to press the Government to look at the delivery of all of this.

“It doesn’t need more consultation, it does not need more research or discussion, it just needs to be done.”

The Home Office has been contacted for comment.