Thread by @StarkNakedBrief on Thread Reader App – Thread Reader App - "It hasn’t really hit the news yet, but… Labour is being accused of quietly "killing" the local grooming gang inquiries they promised back in January. Critics say it’s a betrayal. Here’s what they've done. Thread 🧵
Back in January, Labour Home Secretary Yvette Cooper promised the country that the government would act on the grooming gang scandal. They pledged to conduct local inquiries. It wasn’t what certain survivors and commentators hoped for but it was something. This week, however, we learned they’ve been quietly dismantling such promises. On January 16th, Cooper announced a national plan to roll out local inquiries into child sexual exploitation across five key areas. The announcement was backed by £5 million in funding and led by a respected figure: Tom Crowther KC, the barrister who chaired the Telford inquiry—which uncovered the sexual abuse of more than a thousand children over three decades. They asked him to help create an independent national framework for victim-centred, locally led inquiries. He agreed. Days later, Cooper stood up in the Commons and formally announced his involvement. But from that point on, the cracks began to show—revealing, perhaps, far more about Labour’s true intentions than they ever planned to admit. Ahead of his committee appearance this week, and still unclear on what his role actually was, Crowther sought advice from former Conservative Justice Secretary Robert Buckland who passed him Jess Phillips’ number—the Labour's Minister for Safeguarding. Crowther texted her, asking if she could clarify “what I was likely to be asked to do and when.” By February 14th—five full weeks Cooper announced his involvement—Crowther still hadn’t received a formal update. He called the Home Office directly and asked: “Do you still want me?”
The reply from somewhat of a bombshell. An official informed him that the framework would now be drafted by ministers and advisers. Crowther’s role was no longer central—he could “comment” on a draft, once written, but that was it. In short, it was now Labour-controlled—decisively not independent. He asked the official to confirm the exchange in writing and was promised an email that day. Seven days passed. Nothing came. Then, this reportedly happened:
A meeting with the Home Office has since been scheduled—only after Crowther went public with his concerns in the Committee meeting.
It’s an obvious point to make but, on many levels, it seems the government is less concerned with being responsive than looking responsive. Then came the money. Initially, £5 million had been set aside for five local inquiries. But on March 20th, it was revealed that this funding would no longer be allocated directly. Instead, councils would have to bid for it. Leaving it up to councils to decide whether to “opt in” to a grooming inquiry is not only a vast knock down from what they promised; in certain areas, it’s a glaring conflict of interest. Some of these councils are alleged to have been complicit—either through denial, incompetence, or outright cover-up in grooming/r*pe gang scandals. Arguably, giving them the power to decide whether to subject themselves to scrutiny is akin to letting suspects choose whether they want to be investigated. And even if a council does bid, they don’t have to conduct a "full inquiry". Conservative MP Robbie Moore discovered in further correspondence with the Home Office that the money can now be used for “options” that fall “short of a full investigation”—such as “victim-survivor engagement”, “scrutiny,” and “follow-up”.
Meanwhile, the Conservatives—having spent 14 years in government without launching a full, independent inquiry—now says they will add an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill to mandate a statutory investigation. The move, though no doubt in part politically-motivated, would force a vote in Parliament and—if passed—compel local authorities to participate in inquiries, regardless of whether they want to or not. Outside Westminster, Rupert Lowe has launched his own private inquiry into the scandal. But without statutory powers, it can’t compel testimony, demand documents, or force cooperation from councils or police forces. Still, Lowe remains undeterred. Writing in The Telegraph on Tuesday, he said: “We have to try. I want to be able to say I have done everything within my power to shine a light on the many horrors that still continue today.”"
Samantha Smith on X - "When the abuse scandal in the Catholic Church was exposed, there was massive public outcry from Catholics. But with Pakistani-Muslim grooming gangs, I’ve seen hardly any Muslims condemn the atrocities committed by their own. “But It’s not all Muslims” Yes, like it wasn’t all Catholics. But they still condemned the actions of the minority and accepted the failings that were enabled and covered-up by members of their community. In fact, there was widespread disgust and demands for swift justice on behalf of the victims. Pedophile priests were prosecuted and church leaders ousted for facilitating abuse. Yet, I’ve seen Muslims trying to blame the victims, suggest that their “lifestyle” or decisions caused the abuse, downplay the scale of grooming gangs, or even simply claim Islamophobia. Why does accountability apply to everyone except one demographic? Why could other religions condemn the evil perpetrated by members of their faith but it’s “racist” to expect the Muslim community to do the same? Why?"
Dr. Maalouf on X - "250,000 British girls raped by Muslim gangs. But sure, the real threat to women in the UK is native British men. 🤡 *ad portraying white man as aggressor*"
Rochdale grooming gang: The girl kept in a cage and made to act like a dog, a 15-year-old raped and killed with heroin injection from an abuser and an aborted foetus kept in a freezer by police - "A teenage girl who died from a heroin injection, an aborted foetus taken by police without the mother's knowledge and another child made to act like a dog in a cage are just some of the horror stories brought about by Rochdale's grooming gangs. Dozens of young girls were targeted, abused and raped by gangs of mainly Asian men between 2004 and 2012 in the Greater Manchester town, with police and council bosses failing to investigate credible evidence. A new report published today revealed the plight faced by the girls who were the subject of this abuse and the struggle they faced to be believed, as well as the harassment when they gave evidence against their abusers. The damning dossier, which has identified 96 men who are still deemed a potential risk to children, has sparked calls from whistleblowers that there is 'categorically' still grooming taking place in the town... Whistleblower Sara Rowbotham appeared on the verge of tears as she greeted her vindication after years of being 'scapegoated'. The former sexual health worker – who was played by Maxine Peake in the BBC drama about the scandal, Three Girls – was later appointed MBE for services to young people after an online petition attracted more than 300,000 signatures. 'How many more times will it take a drama or documentary and the ensuing public outcry to call people and organisations to account?' she asked. 'We were blamed, and they said it was my fault.' Today's report makes for distressing reading, revealing the heartbreaking stories of just some of the victims of the depraved gangs of men, many of whom are yet to be brought to justice for their crimes... Among the cases touched upon on in the report is the tragic death of 15-year-old Victoria Agoglia, who passed away after taking a heroin overdose in 2003. In a letter sent to police, the girl revealed how she was sleeping with 'people older' than her and ' half of them I don't even know their names. I am a slag.'.. In September 2003 she visited the home of a 50-year-old Asian man - Mohammed Yaqoob - who injected her with heroin. She died in hospital five days later. He was later jailed for three and half years for injecting her with a noxious substance after being cleared of manslaughter... the investigation was quietly shelved by police bosses while Ms Oliver was on a three-month break. It wasn't until eight years later that the beasts behind the operation which saw girls plied with alcohol and drugs before being used as sex slaves came to justice. Ms Rowbotham said she and her team had been accused of not referring abused children to police, which the report said was a 'gross misrepresentation'. 'Children were being raped every day,' she said. 'Both the police and Rochdale children services told me and kept telling me, it was nothing to do with them. 'Everything being done now, should have been done then. All it would have taken is the right people actually giving a damn.' Ms Rowbotham said her team were told to 'draw a line under' their concerns after the original Rochdale grooming gang was jailed in 2012... The girl, who even bumped into her abuser in a supermarket after he was released from prison without her being informed, said police told her to just 'lock your door' when she asked for help about the harassment. Another girl who also gave evidence against her abusers reported that her house was 'trashed, with slag and grass written across the wall', while her shed was burned down and chickens killed in a campaign of harassment. The damning dossier also claims that no action was taken against a 'pimp' who got a 15-year-old girl pregnant, while another child claimed she was kept locked in cages and made to act like a dog or baby, with again, no action being taken against the men allegedly involved. The report is the third of four written by child protection specialist Malcolm Newsam CBE and former senior police officer Gary Ridgway – and saw apologies this morning from Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester Police and Rochdale Council... The report's publication comes a year after an independent review into child sexual exploitation in neighbouring Oldham found the ringleader of a notorious grooming gang, Shabir Ahmed, later jailed for 22 years, was able to continue working as a welfare rights officer by Oldham Council with police failing to tell his employers even after his arrest."
From 2024
Anne Marie Waters on X - "Just heard Starmer talking about how Muslim women are afraid in Britain. It's too much. It really is. It isn't Muslim women being gangraped and tortured - it's white women, by Muslims, but not a word from him about it. It's too much."
Network of Sikh Orgs on X - "This use of the vague reference to ‘Asian’ grooming gangs is extremely disappointing from the Prime Minister. Part of the problem with this issue has been a fear of not speaking openly about the ethnicity and (or) religion of the majority of perpetrators. This has, in some instances, made it worse for the victims. We first complained about ‘Asian’ back in 2012. @HinduForumGBR @hindu_counciluk @thebritishhindu @nchtuk ‘Groups representing Sikh and Hindu communities have complained about the term "Asian" being used to describe the men involved in grooming trials.’
We had a major breakthrough in 2020 (thanks to the efforts of our Director, Lord Singh and @Singhtwo2 ) when the Editors’ Codebook, which @IpsoNews uses as a framework to adjudicate print media complaints - added a recommendation for editors under ‘accuracy’ - this has been included ever since. But given the PM’s frankly disappointing use of ‘Asian’ today, we cannot afford to be complacent and we will continue to push for greater accuracy in reporting. This is a matter of significant public interest, and criminality that has impacted our communities too. 2/2 The 2020 recommendation was covered by the @pressgazette here: https://pressgazette.co.uk/news/editors-f"
Left wing priorities are clear
smile2jannah on X - "A white grooming gang caught abusing 30 girls. The youngest was 5. Why did this not receive as much attention?"
Denny Zmeen on X - "Because no one covered it up for 30 years, the PM didn't circulate a memo saying these girls "consented", and the perpetrators didn't state these girls were "white slags" who "deserved it". Just the police & judicial system actually doing their job."
Leadpile on X - "You know what I noticed immediately? That in this case they, quite correctly, were talking about a peadophile ring... And not about a "grooming gang". No racial sensitivities here I guess?"
We get told that it is right that Black Lives Matters focuses on black people who are killed by the police, even though many many more black people are killed by other black people, because the State is supposed to protect, so we must obsess over police officers killing, in self-defence, black people who attack them, because the State perpetrating injustice is horrendous. Yet with the grooming gangs scandal, if you point out the State's role in covering up and enabling mass rape, this is racism and Islamophobia
Leo Kearse - on YouTube & GB News on X - "I've seen about a million versions of this tedious whataboutism. "Look! Look! White people can be horrific monsters too! Why are the usual suspects not condemning this? They must be WACIST!!"
1. Everyone did condemn this. However:
2. These monsters didn't deliberately target children of another race because they see them as subhuman.
3. The establishment didn't arrest the victims or their parents, smear them as liars or cover up their crimes "for the good of diversity".
4. Nobody reporting or commenting on these crimes was smeared as "racist" or "Islamophobic".
5. They didn't get more lenient sentences because of "cultural differences".
6. Their families and community don't condone these crimes.
The outrage over the Pakistani Muslim child rape gangs isn't just about their crimes. It's about the British establishment - I don't just mean the state, I mean our society, our culture - covering up and enabling these crimes, and screaming "RACIST!" at anyone who mentioned them. The question is, why are people still making excuses, deflecting and minimising these crimes?"
Ian Miles Cheong on X - "UK’s Head of Counter-Terrorism Policing AC Matt Jukes is currently probing Elon Musk over his posts on 𝕏 pertaining to the grooming gang scandal. Matt Jukes served as Borough Commander in Rotherham from 2006-2010, which coincided with a peak in child sexual exploitation by Pakistani grooming gangs. Jukes faced significant criticism for his mishandling over the issue, which remains ongoing. He was accused of not giving priority to cases of child sexual exploitation, failing to act on known reports of abuse, and providing inadequate support to victims, often viewing them with contempt. Moreover, he has been criticized for hesitancy due to concerns about racial sensitivities, alongside a lack of resources and accountability. Curious, then, that Jukes would want to go after Elon Musk over a case in which he is directly implicated."
Basil the Great on X - "Tonight a police station contacted a victim of child sexual abuse to tell her to stop talking about the rape gangs that plague our country. If that doesn't terrify you I don't know what will."
S A M M Y woodhouse on X - "I’ve received a phone call from South Yorkshire Police tonight about my reporting on X. They’ve asked me to delete posts and not to report on Rotherham professionals moving forward even though they’re no reporting restrictions on the case. I’d like to add, the information I’ve reported came directly from South Yorkshire Police over 6 months ago. It’s also been in the public domain for over 6 months. I’d also like to add the police officer didn’t really have a clue what was going on."
Meme - Into the Memory Hole @frongNscorpion: "Now of course they're scrambling pretending like they care because someone caused a stink. We all could have done this ourselves, many have even tried only to be arrested. The reality of this situation is that if any amount of justice is actually served it would result in so many UK politicians being arrested that their entire government would collapse. That is not going to happen."
"BREAKING: British Parliament votes NO on grooming gangs investigation"
MPs vote against Tory call for new grooming gangs inquiry
شرقزده sharghzadeh on X - "Westerners are too polite to talk about such topics, but in our countries, until very recently there was a culture where sexual predation was normalized. Growing up, my dad passed on stories of known pedophiles in our neighborhood. My grandpa warned me to avoid friendly men who love beardless boys (bachche bī-rīsh). I grew up with a genuine fear of molestation. I was groped in the bazār and the subway as late as age fifteen! Soon after I grew a beard and no one would bother me. This culture is dying out in places like Tehran, but taxi drivers from rural areas, Afghanistan, etc., tell me it is alive in their corner of the Persianate world. Now if you take a group of people from such a culture, and put them in a society where the locals are perceived as sexually open (there is truth to that) and not "one of us" it can lead to horrific situations. A very close Turkmen friend worked on re-settling Afghans in a small-ish metro in America and had several cases where recently re-settled men were joking about molesting boys. One was even caught bringing a boy back to his hotel room. Nothing had been done yet, it was seen at the right moment, so it was swept under the rug and chalked up as a cultural misunderstanding. Westerners have a right to worry about this and demand that our community have no tolerance for this behavior."
@leaherichardson - "Keir Starmer just called the rape gang scandal a far right bandwagon. One girl was turned into kebab meat. One, with 2 babies at age 16, was killed with her family when her house was burned down. One had her back passage inflated with a pump so four men could anally rape her. One 11 yr old was raped with such violence she needed a hysterectomy. These are 4 stories out of thousands This is what the left thinks of working class girls. Sacrificed for an illusion of successful multiculturalism. - "Keir Starmer just called the rape gang scandal a far right bandwagon.One girl was turned into kebab meat. One, with 2 babies at age 16, was killed with her family when her house was burned down. One had her back passage inflated with a pump so four men could anally rape her. One 11 yr old was raped with such violence she needed a hysterectomy.These are 4 stories out of thousandsThis is what the left thinks of working class girls. Sacrificed for an illusion of successful multiculturalism."
Meme - Dane @UltraDane: "The Refugee council of Wales, an official NGO operating in The United Kingdom, purposely uses photos and videos of prepubescent White girls on their website. Luring child predators into Great Britain is the goal. The council (which is comprised mostly of men from Pakistan, India, The ME, and Africa) also makes videos of 12 year old girls in "school attire" meant to entice "refugees" into The United Kingdom, Wales especially."
Cillian on X - "Numerous videos have now emerged of schoolgirls being used to promote the Welsh Refugee Council. The initial video that went viral was clearly not an “isolated incident”. South Wales Police should investigate the Welsh Refugee Council as a matter of urgency, instead of me!"
The council bosses who failed victims of the Rotherham grooming gang: How senior leaders have pursued roles as government advisers, bankers - and an 'executive coach and mentor' - "Council bosses in Rotherham who were criticised for failing to protect 1,400 young girls from grooming gangs have gone on to become government advertisers, bankers and an 'executive coach and mentor'... Anger over official failures recently prompted calls to remove a portrait of Shaun Wright - Rotherham council's former director of children's services and the future South Yorkshire police and crime commissioner - from the borough's town hall. These were rejected by the authority, which found there was no precedent or legal reason to remove the portrait. While the likes of Mr Wright have struggled to rebuild their reputation following the scandal, some of his former colleagues have gone on to reinvent themselves, with one even moving to Australia to advise on 'human and social services challenges'
Sonia Sharp. Dr Sharp served as director of children's services in Rotherham between 2005 and 2006 and acknowledged her failure to protect girls, saying: 'You can't be the director of children's services and not take responsibility for what happens to children.'...
Jahangir Akhtar. Mr Akhtar became deputy leader of Rotherham council in 2011, also serving as vice-chairman of the South Yorkshire police and crime panel. The Jay report suggested he may have decided to ignore a 'politically inconvenient truth' when he claimed not to have been aware of the 'deep-rooted problem of Pakistani-heritage perpetrators targeting young white girls'. He was forced to 'step aside' from his role as deputy leader following allegations that he had been involved in a deal to help Arshid 'Mad Ash' Hussain, a relative accused of grooming an underage girl... Mr Akhtar was also later stripped of his taxi-driver licence after a 'fit and proper person' test was introduced by the council.
Ged Fitzgerald. Mr Fitzgerald was criticised for 'missing opportunities' to tackle grooming while CEO of Rotherham council from 2001 to 2003... He was later arrested in 2017 following a probe into financial irregularities at Lancashire county council and resigned from Liverpool city council the next year. In 2022, he was charged with misconduct in public office and procuring the misconduct of others."
Halifax ‘grooming gang’: Police officer among 16 men charged with sexually abusing girls - "Amjad Ditta is accused of sexual touching over alleged abuse between 2006 and 2009"
From 2019
Rupert Lowe MP on X - "Let's be clear on what happened yesterday - Labour announced a £10 million package to investigate the rape gangs. £10 million. It's pathetic, it's insulting. Why have they done this? Politics. Labour know their position couldn't work, so they've had to give just enough to look like they're doing something. It means nothing and nothing has changed. Don't fall for it. £10 million. Let's make some comparisons... The foreign aid budget to Pakistan for the financial year 2023/24 was £41.54 million. This year? £133 million. £500 million has been handed to foreign farmers in aid... £8 million A DAY is spent on housing illegal migrants in hotels. A DAY! £10 million to help bring justice for thousands of raped and abused girls is NOTHING. It's set to take place in just FIVE areas. It's estimated that these gangs have been operating in FIFTY towns/cities. Likely more... I will say it again. There needs to be a FULL, FREE, and FAIR national inquiry. And we need DATA. I asked in Parliament yesterday, again. On court transcripts, deportations, nationality breakdown, reoffences, releases and more. How many answers? ZERO. It's a cover up. It has been for decades, and it continues even now."
S A M M Y woodhouse on X - "The leader of Rotherham Council, Chris Read has criticised Elon Musk’s recent comments about grooming gangs and child sexual exploitation (CSE) in the UK, suggesting that Musk’s framing of the topic as ‘solely a racial issue’ is ‘unhelpful’. Do you know what I found unhelpful? When Rotherham Council invited my rapist into my son’s life when Chris Read was the leader of the council. He’s got no need to criticise anyone on safeguarding. If professionals and politicians would do their jobs properly it wouldn’t be left to Elon Musk to highlight it."
Lee Harris on X - "This is painful to watch. Sadiq Khan is asked how many grooming gangs there are in London and he COMPLETELY dodges the question. This is EXACTLY why we need a full inquiry. Sadiq Khan is part of the problem. He's completely unfit for office."
Meme - Soyjak British Police Officer handing you card: "So... We decided to let a Pakistani rape your daughter, here's why:"
Matt Goodwin on X - "Bombshell new poll on UK rape gangs. Keir Starmer is COMPLETELY out of touch with Britain:
-73% want national inquiry into rape gangs
-81% want foreign national groomers deported
-74% want dual national groomers deported
-79% say officials who failed shd be prosecuted
-of those, 66% say officials shd go to prison
-30% back death penalty for groomers + 47% back life sentences. Only 13% want current non-life sentences
Friderichs/JL Partners, broke on @GBNEWS"
Governments not doing what the electorate wants is only oligarchy when it hurts the left wing agenda
max tempers on X - "And he pins the screenshot. There are a lot of theories for Musk's motives but I think, like for myself and many others, coming across the simply horrific graphic nature of what actually went down for the first time is impossible to let go and forget. It's genuinely disgusting."
Left wingers have very poor theory of mind, despite going on about how empathetic they are (in reality, they mean they weaponise "empathy" allegedly on behalf of minorities to ram through their agenda), which is why they don't understand those they disagree with and call them trolls or evil
Labour must stop handing millions to Pakistan as country blocks removal of child sex abusers from Britain, former immigration minister claims - "Grooming gang ringleaders who raped and exploited dozens of young white girls in Rochdale and elsewhere cannot be deported because Islamabad has refused to accept them. While countries cannot unilaterally send criminals back to their native lands, Pakistan receives millions in aid money from the UK each each year - amounting to more than £1 billion over the last decade. Last night, former immigration minister Robert Jenrick called for the payments to stop and a visa ban to be implemented until the country starts cooperating... It is unknown how many UK-based criminals Pakistan has refused to accept because the Home Office has refused to release data on the abusers... The pair were among four abusers who desperately tried to dodge deportation by renouncing their Pakistani citizenship, claiming that removal from the UK would leave them stateless. However, immigration judges dismissed the tactic more than two years ago, saying it would be 'relatively easy' for them to regain their status back home... Although their deportation orders were upheld, the individuals remain in this country, living and working alongside their victims... Mr Jenrick has previously called for foreign aid to be conditional on countries co-operating on returns. Iraq, which has received more than £400 million in aid from the UK over the last 10 years, has only accepted 150 returns - despite accounting for nearly 15,000 Channel migrant crossings since 2018. More than half a million has gone to Somalia, Afghanistan and Ethiopia during the last decade. While nearly 18,000 small boat arrivals have hailed from the countries, the UK successfully returned just 13 to Somalia in 2023."
Mario Nawfal on X - "🚨🇬🇧BBC REMOVES DOCUMENTARIES ON UK’S RAPE GANGS, CALLS VICTIMS “LIARS” The BBC has pulled 2 documentaries exposing rape gangs from iPlayer, leaving only content about a girl who lied. The BBC is sidelining the UK’s gang rape epidemic while amplifying a false case to downplay systemic failures. Convicted abusers and broader scandals go largely unreported. Source: BBC, @ripx4nutmeg"
Raja Miah on X - "I expected resistance when I exposed the cover-up of Pakistani grooming gangs targeting young White girls. What I didn’t expect was the extent to which networks of Islamists and Jihadists would feel emboldened to target me personally. Or how @AndyBurnhamGM ’s politically controlled @gmpolice would shield those who wanted to see me silenced, even butchered. These extremists, who share the exact same prejudices as the very rape gangs I’ve spoken out against, have only escalated their efforts. But let’s not feign surprise. This is the grim reality in towns like mine, where police fear confronting these men due to their political connections. The latest example? A WhatsApp group with the word "bisar" in its title - meaning community judgment by sharia law. Members of this group are circulating AI-generated videos portraying me in homosexual acts. The goal is clear: to portray me as Gay in order to incite my murder within their interpretation of Sharia law. Let that sink in. Extremists are weaponising technology to incite a hate crime while openly boasting of protection from police and politicians. These men, tied to political campaigns and General Election candidates, are untouchable. Their impunity is not just dangerous, it is deliberate. This is not just about me. This is about a system that protects extremists over the vulnerable. It’s about @AndyBurnhamGM and his deputy @KateGreenSU , who must one day answer for why they chose to shield Islamists inciting violence over supporting those demanding justice for the gang-raped children of our communities. The Public Inquiry is coming. And when it does, even for the likes of Andy Burnham and Kate Green, there will be no place to hide. The truth will be unavoidable. In the meantime, here you go lads, a more up to date photograph of me. Name the time and place. Bring your black banners and butchers knives. I'll be there."
RadioGenoa on X - "Two drunk 13 year old English girls with no clothes on in a house with seven Pakistani asylum seekers and who arrested the police? The two 13 year old girls because they were drunk. UK is lost."
Carlisle ex-boxer admits racially aggravated social media posts - "Derek Heggie made "grossly offensive comments" in two YouTube videos between 2 and 8 August, Carlisle Crown Court heard... The court heard that, in videos referring to Muslims, Heggie made comments including "young white girls are being raped by these grooming gangs"."
The truth is illegal
He was jailed for 10 months and two weeks
Thread by @SamanthaTaghoy on Thread Reader App – Thread Reader App - "I was five years old when my abuse started. Not a “young woman”. Not a “child prostitute”. Not “promiscuous”. I was a child. Those in power turned a blind eye while myself and countless other little girls were being raped, groomed and killed. #TheyKnew Nobody should be above the law, not even those who make or enforce it. That’s why we’ve launched the #TheyKnew campaign — to investigate and bring to justice the powerful people who failed to protect little girls like me. Please donate and share:"
