Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch welcomed the expansion of the Statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs to include Birmingham and Wales, saying she hopes the probe moves quickly to secure justice for victims.
The inquiry, announced on Wednesday, will now examine the prevalence of child sexual exploitation (CSE) and the experiences of survivors across the two regions. Badenoch said she was in contact with survivors who were pleased the investigation was progressing, but added that “we all want things to move quickly.”
Figures from Birmingham Children’s Trust released on Wednesday showed police were currently investigating 98 CSE cases in the city, while former safeguarding minister and local MP Jess Phillips suggested the true number of crimes could be much higher. Between January and June this year, 99 CSE crimes were recorded, with more than 140 children known to be at risk of, or experiencing, CSE.
Badenoch noted Labour had “u‑turned” to enable the inquiry and recalled that previous Tory governments had overseen the Jay inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham. She acknowledged that the grooming gangs task force had found “400 extra criminals,” but said there was still more to do.
Defending the decision to launch the national inquiry in June 2025, the government said it had “never dismissed the concerns of victims” of grooming gangs. It also emerged that West Midlands Police had only started routinely recording the ethnicity of CSE offenders within the past 12 months, a point Badenoch said was “very important” for uncovering hidden crimes.
The Conservative leader added, “We brought this up to attention, but we’re not in government any more. The people in government now have to pick up the baton and carry on.”
