Maggie Oliver scolds Keir Starmer's grooming gangs U-turn as she launches legal action: 'I am sick of it!'

Delivering her verdict on the U-turn ahead of Baroness Casey's review, Oliver told GB News' National Reporter Charlie Peters: "I've been banging this drum for years. We get an announcement today as though this is something brand new, but it's not brand new.

"Keir Starmer knew, the Government knew. The Conservatives were in Government for years, this is not a political football, this is children's lives.

"In our charity, The Maggie Oliver Foundation, we've helped nearly 5,000 victims in the past six years."

In a pointed attack on the announcement of a national inquiry, Oliver branded the move a "PR exercise" by Keir Starmer.

She stated: "When they're announcing the National Crime Agency, it's empty words, a PR exercise.

"Those officers in the NCA, in the police, they're on their knees, there are not enough, there are no resources. The Government are backed in a corner, they know that the cat is out of the bag.

"They're empty promises, and actually promising survivors and victims they're going to reopen 250, 500 cases, where are they going to get the officers to do it?

"They're not doing victims and survivors any favours. Unless you put money in and resources and training and commitment, this is just hot air. I have heard these promises so many times that I am sick and tired of it."

However, Oliver revealed that she has met with Baroness Casey ahead of the publication of her grooming gangs review, and admitted she has "put faith" in Casey to deliver the recommendations needed to get justice.

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Oliver explained: "Baroness Casey came to me, I met her in February and I was sceptical, but she really impressed me. She asked me to bring together a group of survivors, and that's why her report has been delayed, because she listened to ten people.

"She was virtually in tears when she heard these stories, and that's what those at the top need to hear.

"I want to see Baroness Casey leading this inquiry. I don't really have any faith in it, but with her at the helm, I think we all felt that she listened."

Oliver added: "I've put my faith in Baroness Casey. I will be devastated if she doesn't do these girls justice, but I do believe she will.

"I spoke to her on Saturday, and I don't know everything that's in the report, but things like a minister for children in the cabinet, that's not going to cost money."

Detailing the next steps for the Maggie Oliver foundation, she told GB News that they are launching a "judicial review" against the Government, to implement the 20 recommendations found in the previous review by the Jay Report.

Oliver said: "The Maggie Oliver Foundation today is issuing judicial review proceedings against the Government, to implement the 20 recommendations of the last national inquiry.

"One of those recommendations, none of which have been put into place, is that we gather ethnicity, religion, culture, profession of every sexual offender that is desperately needed."

In a statement, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "The vulnerable young girls who suffered unimaginable abuse at the hands of groups of adult men have now grown into brave women, who are rightly demanding justice for what they went through when they were just children.

"Not enough people listened to them then, that was wrong and unforgivable. We are changing that now."