Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has launched a scathing attack on Labour after the party rejected a Conservative amendment, calling for a national inquiry into grooming gangs.
“I’m deeply disappointed and angry that the Labour Party have blocked a proper national inquiry into the rape gang scandal,” Philp told GB News.
“We’re talking about young teenage girls systematically raped by gangs of men, mainly of Pakistani background.”
The Conservative amendment was rejected by MPs on Wednesday by 364 votes to 111, a majority of 253.
Chris Philp hit out at Keir Starmer for ‘shutting down debate’ on grooming gangs
GB News
No Labour MPs backed the Conservative motion, which would have prevented the legislation from progressing.
The division list showed 101 Conservatives supported the amendment, alongside five Reform UK MPs, two DUP members, and three other MPs.
Speaking to GB News, Philp suggested there have been previous efforts to silence Labour members, saying: “We heard Simon Danczuk, I think, on this channel a few days ago saying that we saw Sarah Champion forced off the Labour front bench a few years ago to cover this up.
“And now we see Labour MPs in Parliament voting to continue to try and brush this under the carpet. Well, that’s just not good enough.”
Labour voted down a proposed national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal on WednesdayGB News
He suggested Labour’s resistance to an inquiry might be due to party members’ involvement.
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“I think part of their worry may be that some people in the Labour Party are implicated in this,” he told GB News.
The Shadow Home Secretary referenced several Labour figures, including Ann Cryer, who he claimed had been “essentially silenced or attempted to be silenced by their own party”.
Directly criticising Keir Starmer and Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips, Philp told GB News that they are “trying to shut down debate” on the scandal, and it is the “job of an MP to stand up for rape victims”.
He fumed: “Keir Starmer tried to shut down debate on this issue by outrageously claiming that it was far-right to be raising concerns about these rape gangs.
“They don’t want this to be discussed, but that is exactly how this this mess happened in the first place. It’s not far-right to stand up for rape victims, standing up for rape victims is part of our job and moral obligation as MPs.”
Recalling the debate in Parliament on the amendment, Philp noted that Labour back benchers “booed and heckled” as he delivered his argument on the grooming gangs scandal.
Philp told GB News that it is a ‘moral obligation’ as an MP to ‘stand up for rape victims’
GB News
He explained: “I went on to say in Parliament that it’s exactly the attitude that Keir Starmer expressed that led to this stuff being covered up in the first place.
“As I said that, dozens and dozens of Labour MPs on the other side of the chamber started sort of booing and heckling. The Labour Party, including Jess Phillips, who is the minister responsible, have failed to deliver this basic requirement of a democracy of free society, which is the truth.
“And the only way we’re going to get to the truth, it is now clear, is a proper national statutory public inquiry, with the ability to compel witnesses to attend covering the whole country.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has defended Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips, telling GB News: “The Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls has dedicated her career to tackling sexual violence and abuse and to being a voice for victims and survivors of the most terrible crimes, including child sexual abuse.”
The Home Office has stated: “No child should ever suffer sexual abuse and exploitation, and it’s paramount that we do more to protect vulnerable children.
“Which is why we’re working at pace across Government to drive forward real action to implement the recommendations of the independent inquiry.”
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