Grooming gangs inquiry to be delayed for months as key figure quits

Jim Gamble, a former police officer and the lead candidate, and Annie Hudson, a former director of children’s services for Lambeth council, stepped down after some survivors criticised their professional backgrounds.

Despite both candidates having had careers tackling child abuse, campaigners and survivors have argued that the police and social workers were responsible for letting down victims and believe someone with a legal background should lead the inquiry.

There are currently no candidates in the running, causing delays to the enquiry.

Sources said the Government would now "re-engage with survivors" after five grooming gang victims quit the advisory panel, wanting a judge to lead, which the Tories have also demanded.

Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick thinks the chair should have "deep experience" of criminal cases necessary for handling the "deeply complex" information involved.

A Government source claimed it would "take the time, likely months" to appoint the right chairman, but vowed to move "as fast as possible".

The national inquiry is unlikely to be set up until the new year, more than six months after Baroness Casey’s review recommended a time-limited inquiry into the scandals.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will have the final decision on the lead of the inquiry.

One survivor told GB News: "For this inquiry to have true credibility, it must be led by someone with demonstrable independence and strong legal authority — not figures drawn from the same systems now under investigation.

"Survivors deserve an inquiry that is not only thorough, but untainted by the perception of institutional self-protection."

Four of the women who quit have said they would be prepared to return if the safeguarding minister, Jess Phillips, resigns, while five of those still on the advisory panel have said they would only stay if she remains in post.

The five backing Ms Phillips said in a letter to the Prime Minister and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood that her retaining her role is one of the conditions for their continued participation, writing that the minister has "remained impartial" and "we want her to remain in position for the duration of the process for consistency".

They said they had asked for the scope to be larger than grooming gangs because some survivors would be excluded for not fitting the "generalised stereotype" of what that includes.

Sir Keir Starmer has publicly backed Ms Phillips, as other ministers also rallied around her.

The four survivors demanded Ms Phillips stand down, for the inquiry to be "laser-focused” on grooming gangs, and for its chair to be a former or sitting judge.

There were originally some 30 survivors on the panel.

Baroness Louise Casey, who has been drafted in to support the work of the probe, will work closely with the Government on finding a new field of candidates for the chair.

Speaking on GB News, National Reporter Charlie Peters said: "A lot of survivors who do reach out to GB News anonymously, but sharing their guidance on what they think is going on, are especially concerned about this issue being even more politicised than it was already."

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 chair to take forward this work, to get to the truth and deliver justice to the survivors.

"It would be wrong to provide a running commentary on that process while it is still underway."