Two chairs shortlisted for grooming gang inquiry ahead of talks with survivors

While the final decision on the appointment of the chairman will lie with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and the Prime Minister, the sessions with the survivors will be used to gather their insights and guide the Government’s choice.

News that two prospective chairs are set to be quizzed by survivors comes after The Guardian reported that judges and lawyers were reluctant to head the inquiry.

Only one of the 24 ongoing or announced inquiries with a chairman is headed up by someone without a background in the law.

The Right Reverend Pete Wilcox, the bishop of Sheffield, was announced as the chairman of the Orgreave inquiry in July.

It is understood that the chairman of the grooming inquiry could have a non-judicial background.

In September, Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips said that the Government was in its "final stages" of selecting a chairman for the grooming inquiry.

Separately, GB News understands that the terms of reference have been prepared for review by whoever is selected to chair the probe, but that the Government has organised the panel to ensure the perspective of survivors is taken into account.

The Inquiries Act requires the Home Office to consult the chairman on the terms of reference before they are finalised.

The People’s Channel revealed this week that survivors engaging with the panel had expressed concerns that the inquiry could be expanded to cover child sexual exploitation beyond grooming gangs.

They also feared that it might look at regions instead of specific areas, with one survivor warning this could "dilute" the probe.

They warned that the expansion of the inquiry beyond grooming and into wider areas would "majorly water down" the process and "push the grooming gang scandal to the backburner, avoid in-depth looks into councils and avoid any kind of accountability."

A Home Office spokesman said: "The abuse of children by grooming gangs is one of the most horrific crimes imaginable.

"We will do everything in our power to ensure these crimes never happen again.

"We are working urgently to appoint the best chairman to take forward this work, to get to the truth and deliver justice to the survivors."

One survivor set to quiz the potential chairs next week told GB News: "It’s absolutely vital that whoever is appointed is non-political, impartial, and grounded in the law.

"This is our moment, after years of struggle, to finally uncover the truth. The person chosen to lead this Inquiry must have the courage, integrity, and independence to see it through."

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