EXPOSED: The six pressure points that 'forced' Keir Starmer's hand on rape gangs inquiry since 'far-right' putdown

Starmer rejects this characterisation, claiming that his mind was changed after reading Baroness Casey's report, which explicitly links the grooming gang scandal to men of Pakistani origin and said that victims were ignored for fear of racism.

The U-turn comes after the Prime Minister accused those calling for a national grooming gang inquiry of "jumping on the bandwagon of the far-right" back in January.

Grilled over his past comments following the U-turn, Starmer's spokesman said: "The Prime Minister’s comments about bandwagons were specifically about ministers from the previous government who sat in office for years and did nothing to tackle this scandal. And as the Prime Minister said: 'We will not make the same mistake.'"

With the PM coming under fresh scrutiny, here's a look at six moments this year that could have forced his hand.

GB News' coverage of one of Britain's most shocking scandals

In February 2023, GB News first broadcast Grooming Gangs: Britain's Shame. Presented by our national reporter Charlie Peters, the original documentary shocked the nation.

Featuring exclusive interviews with survivors, whistleblowers and activists, the documentary exposed the grooming of mainly underage white girls by men of mainly Pakistani heritage across England, and why the police and authorities have allowed such a big cover-up for so long.

Since then, Peters, alongside the team at GB News, has not shied away from the horrifying facts of the case.

Sifting through court records, local media reports, and gathering first-hand accounts from several victims, analysis by GB News suggests reports from Rotherham, Rochdale, and Telford are the tip of the iceberg and that a more extensive investigation is urgently needed.

Former policer officer turned grooming gangs whistleblower Maggie Oliver told GB News she is "eternally grateful" for People's Channel's coverage.

Former Scotland Yard detective Peter Bleksley also paid recognition to Peters, telling GB News on Monday: "It is huge credit to people like Charlie Peters of GB News, who with the backing of the channel, has been utterly relentless in pursuing this matter."

Meanwhile, Suella Braverman praised GB News for its "brave and courageous" coverage of the grooming gangs scandal.

The former Home Secretary said: "GB News deserves special mention for being brave and courageous, for shining a light on the injustice. Many broadcasters and much of the mainstream media are too scared to talk about it."

Conservative vote on January 8

On January 8 of this year, Labour MPs voted against a national inquiry into grooming gangs proposed by Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader.

MPs voted 364 votes to 111 against the proposal. Badenoch argued the Government risks fuelling accusations of "a cover-up" by refusing an inquiry.

Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, accused Labour MPs of "turning a blind eye to justice for the victims".

However, Starmer argued that several inquiries had already been held into abuse carried out by gangs of men, and a new probe would only delay the action the victims wanted.

A day later, an official Downing Street spokesman rejected calls for a national inquiry on the grounds that victims did not want it.

He said: "We will be guided by the victims, and what we’ve heard from the victims is that they don’t want to see another national inquiry.

"We’ve had a national inquiry, it...engaged 7,000 victims, and what victims are telling us is that they want to see action and that’s where the Government is focused and that’s why we’re not going ahead with another national inquiry."

Nigel Farage and senior Conservatives push for inquiry

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said that Reform UK's manifesto at the next election will "commit to legislation for an Inquiry, with statutory powers", adding: "This inquiry must happen and will happen."

However, responding to Farage, a spokesman for Badenoch said: “This issue is too important to wait until the next election.

The Conservatives have twice forced votes in Parliament on a full statutory inquiry into the grooming gangs, and we will continue to do so.

Meanwhile, Neil O’Brien, Shadow Education Minister, said: "The victims of the child rape gangs deserve justice.

"So many have never had their voices heard. At present, the government is blocking a full national inquiry."

Writing in ConservativeHome, Philp said: "We owe it to every survivor to keep fighting, not just for a proper inquiry, but for a system that never again prioritises political correctness or reputational risk over the safety of children.

"We owe it to the public to demand more from those who seek to lead this country. When it comes to doing what is right, the Conservative Party has led and Starmer has followed."

Labour figures break rank and demand national inquiry

Several members within Starmer's own party broke ranks to demand a national enquiry. The first and most prominent was Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham.

Burnham told the BBC: "I will add my voice into this and say I do think there is the case for a limited national inquiry that draws on reviews like the one that I commissioned and the one we’ve seen in Rotherham, the one we’ve seen in Telford, to draw out some of these national issues.

"[I want to] compel people to give evidence who then may have charges to answer and be held to account. That is something I couldn’t do at my level."

On January 12, Liverpool Walton MP Dan Carden became the first MP to demand an inquiry into the Asian grooming gangs that targeted white working-class girls

Carden told the Liverpool Echo: "The public compassion for the victims, thousands of young British working-class girls and children is real. The public call for justice must be heeded."

Labour peer Lord Glasman, who founded the Blue Labour group, told The Telegraph back in April: "Our position is unchanged. We call for an immediate national inquiry with full powers of arrest. This is an evil that has got to be seen to be public."

Rupert Lowe's contributions

One vocal supporter of a national inquiry is ousted former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe. The MP for Great Yarmouth set up a crowdfunding page to raise money for a national enquiry on April 1.

Launching the campaign, he wrote in The Telegraph: "The mass rape of young working class white girls is a rotting stain on our country’s history.

"Young girls beaten, abused, gagged and raped in their many thousands, in towns and cities all across the UK.

"This was done predominately by packs of Pakistani-background rapists, because they knew they could.

"We sacrificed thousands of vulnerable girls on the altar of multiculturalism."

As of writing, Lowe's crowdfunding campaign has raised £622,257. He pledged to appoint panel members, including former cabinet minister Esther McVey and Reform MP James McMurdock.

Louise Casey’s report and what happens next

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has confirmed Labour will accept all 12 of the recommendations made in Baroness Casey's rape gangs review.

Addressing MPs ahead of the release of Casey's report on Monday, Cooper said: "We have lost more than a decade. That must end now."

The Home Secretary also revealed that more than 800 rape gang cases were uncovered in Baroness Casey's "damning" review.

Cooper admitted that the number could rise above 1,000, adding: "Children as young as 10 plied with drugs and alcohol, brutally raped by gangs of men [had been] disgracefully let down again and again by the authorities who were meant to protect them and keep them safe."

She confirmed that Sir Keir Starmer's Government will now introduce:

New laws to protect children and support victims
- New major police operations
- A national inquiry to direct local probes and hold institutions to account for failures
- New ethnicity data and research
- New action across children's services to identify young people at risk
- Further action to support child victims and tackle new forms of exploitation online
- Change the law to ensure that adults who engage in penetrative sex with a child under the age of 16 will be charged with rape

It comes after the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), led by Professor Alexis Jay, found institutional failings and tens of thousands of victims across England and Wales.