ITV GMB viewers rage 'REMOVE him' as they blast guest's 'disgraceful' grooming gang remark: 'Always bringing up skin colour!'

There had also been complaints that the survivors experienced a "toxic environment" and felt like the inquiry had already been "scripted and predetermined".

Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips defended the inquiry in the House of Commons yesterday, insisting the government was doing all it could to "expose the failures" that led to the "appalling crimes".

Introducing the latest to show guests, Andrew Pierce and Kevin Maguire, host Richard Madeley began: "The lid was lifted on the grooming scandal, which was happening mostly in the north of England, by Baroness Casey when she reported, and people accepted the report that yes, disproportionate numbers of Asian men were abusing young girls in specific areas of northern Britain.

"And yes, the police in those areas were reluctant to investigate for fear of being accused of racism. And now the victims, who until now were part of this inquiry, have left because they’re saying in effect the inquiry is showing the same timidity.

"It doesn’t want to confront this awkward reality. So that’s where we are this morning — with a standoff between the victims and the inquiry, which is meant to be doing the work for them."

Mr Pierce then weighed in: "And three victims, survivors, pulled out... It’s unravelled. And the Safeguarding Minister, Jess Phillips, went on the offensive in the Commons yesterday, whereas I think perhaps she could have struck a more emollient tone.

"These women went through absolute hell, and they think this inquiry is not going to go anywhere near getting to the truth."

Mr Madeley was in agreement with Mr Pierce, pointing out that Ms Phillips "seemed to be fundamentally irritated that she even had to make the statement". However, Mr Maguire chipped in to defend the politician.

"She was irritated by Conservative MPs who didn’t set up an inquiry, demanding, 'Why haven’t you set up an inquiry already?'" he claimed, prompting Mr Madeley to reply: "But it came across as irritation with the victims."

Mr Maguire insisted: "Yeah, but it shouldn’t come across as that, because it wasn’t. (We'll) correct it now by explaining why she was irritated. And it was Conservative MPs. But it goes way back before Casey’s review in January.

"It goes all the way back to prosecutions more than a dozen years ago in Rotherham, and very good reporting by a Times reporter called Andrew Norfolk, who gave it a wider public airing. He’s now dead.

"Then you had Alexis Jay’s report — the social worker inquiry into Rotherham. Then she held—because the Conservatives, when Theresa May was Prime Minister, set up an inquiry, which I think went on for six years, into child sexual exploitation and abuse, including grooming gangs. That report was published, I think, in 2022.

"Then it came back earlier this year because Elon Musk tweeted, if you recall — he didn’t know what was happening in the UK. Oldham Council wanted a national inquiry. Oldham Council’s—probably the first time it’s ever made an impact nationally (and) probably the last time."

Despite Mr Maguire's background information, Mr Madeley remained unimpressed with Ms Phillips. He chipped back in: "But I would still suggest that the minister yesterday should have kept to the forefront of their mind the victims, and what the victims were saying, rather than—okay, let’s take what you say at face value—her irritation with the members on the opposite benches. She should have been thinking about the victims, because this is how it came over."

Referring to the survivors who'd quit the panel directly, Mr Pierce went on to say: "These women have been involved in this—trying to form this inquiry—since the Prime Minister announced it was going to be set up, four months ago.

"They are adamant that the government is broadening the context, broadening the width of the inquiry, and they suspect it’s because they’re trying to dilute the central fact that the grooming gangs were predominantly men of Pakistani heritage."

Mr Maguire refuted his fellow guest's suggestion: "It’s a really important part of the inquiry. It was in three counties, when the Louise Casey review looked at the data, it was Greater Manchester, West and South Yorkshire — not across the country as a whole — where men of Pakistani origin were over-represented.

"Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, says this is just in the grooming gangs, group sexual abuse — but as we could have also looked yesterday at Jess Phillips, who’s spent her life working with women who are victims of male violence — how when you have something, a case like this, and women have suffered unimaginable horrors, they live with it every day. It is with them."

As the conversation moved on, Mr Pierce and Mr Maguire did find common ground, with both agreeing that they "understand the suspicion of authority" by the survivors.

And while Mr Maguire was open to the idea of having a judge involved in the process, he insisted that saying all "police officers or all social workers should be barred from chairing it isn't the right approach".

Mr Madeley then brought the conversation to a close by highlighting the fact that the survivors complained of being "gaslit" and "treated appallingly", which prompted Mr Maguire to get the final word.

"There are some people who just want an inquiry into Pakistani grooming gangs and not wider grooming gangs, because if you look at sexual exploitation overall, most abusers are white men," he added.

Just moments after the discussion, social media was soon awash with viewers' complaints, particularly with Mr Maguire's defence of Ms Phillips and his claims that "most abusers are white men".

Taking to X to slam his comments, one viewer fumed: "Why is Kevin Maguire spouting about skin colour. No one cares if the gangs are brown or white skin colour, the victims want justice, and those brought to justice without it being covered up. He’s a disgrace on the show and always bringing skin colour up when it’s not about that!"

"Just a quick reminder, Kevin CHILDREN were gang raped by these monsters. #gmb," a second pointed out before a third fumed: "Kevin McGuire defending Phillips WOW, he really is embarrassing #GMB."

"Sack Kevin Maguire... 'ok guys whites are worse', seriously what the f**k man???????? #gmb," a fourth questioned before a fifth weighed in: "Typical Kevin, trying to push the far left narrative that the groom gangs are 'white' men problem. #gmb."

"Kevin McGuire spent his 5+min talking time defending Jess Phillips and not a mention of the victims. He is unable to criticise any Labour MP, no matter what. #GMB," a sixth hit out.

And a seventh put: "#GMB Maguire is a typical leftie Labour supporter. Those of us who live in the areas where grooming/rape gangs are the ones who committed these vile acts know what damage they’ve done, we know how it’s been brushed away, how victims/survivors have been ignored. NO MORE! We see you!"

Elsewhere, an eighth simply pleaded with show bosses: "@ITV please remove Kevin Maguire from GMB. #GMB."

However, others fired back at the complaints, with one GMB viewer reacting to one comment to claim: "You right-wing racists don’t like someone when they speak the truth."

And a second jumped to Mr Maguire's defence: "Keven was the only one who spoke any sense on this dreadful situation … listen to the interview again."