Prime Minister Keir Starmer has faced a heated line of questioning today over Labour's handling of the grooming gangs scandal.
It comes as four survivors have resigned from the Home Office’s Survivor Liaison Panel in protest over how the inquiry was being handled earlier this week.
Sir Keir assured MPs that the inquiry will "never be watered down" as he addressed the criticism
The Prime Minister said: "The grooming scandal was one of the worst of out time.
Keir Starmer faced a brutal grilling for the grooming gangs scandal
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"Women and girls were abused and exploited by predatory gangs of men. And survivors have been ignored for many years, including by the state that, of course, is supposed to protect them.
"My vow to Fiona and them is that this national inquiry will change that. I do acknowledge that in recent days, some members, including Fiona, have decided to step away from the panel
"Should they wish to return, the door will always be open but even if they do not we owe it to them and to the country to answer the concerns that they have raised.
"The inquiry is not and will never be watered down. Its scope will not change. It will examine the ethnicity and religion of the offenders, and we will find the right person to chair the inquiry.
"I can tell the House today that Dame Louise Casey will now support the work of the inquiry, and it will get to the truth. Injustice will have no place to hide."
Kemi Badenoch said: "He should hang his head in shame for calling this a far-right bandwagon.
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"The future deputy leader called this a dog whistle. What we need to think about is the victims and the survivors.
"I spoke to one yesterday, she waved her anonymity an incredible difficult thing to do, and they believe that they safeguarding minister has to them and about them.
"One of the survivors said, I quote, Jess Phillips needs to be removed because I don't think her conduct during this has been acceptable for the position she holds.
"Those aren't my words they are the words of a survivor."
The Prime Minister said he “respects the views of all the survivors” but backed Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips and Dame Louise Casey to take the inquiry forward.
“I respect the views of all the survivors there are different views, and I accept that,” he said.
“But the Safeguarding Minister, I think, has probably more experience than any other person in this House in dealing with violence against women and girls.
“Alongside her will be Louise Casey. These two individuals, Mr Speaker, have spent decades standing up for those who have been abused and sexually exploited, and I absolutely think they’re the right people to take this forward."
His insisted his Government is "listening to and standing up for survivors" as he defended Labour’s record on tackling grooming gangs.
He said the inquiry was part of a wider effort to deliver justice for victims.
"My priorities are listening to and standing up for the survivors. That’s why we’re doing the work on the inquiry. That’s why we’ve reopened the criminal cases, why we brought in mandatory reporting,” he said.
“I would gently remind them they had 14 years in office. They barely mentioned this issue. And where there were inquiries, they failed to act on them. We have done more in the time we’ve been in office than they did in 14 long years."