Recently, our current Prime Minister, Sir Kier Starmer, became a notable figure in British people’s lives and more so recently for not good reasons. During his time as the head of the Crown Prosecution Service, 2008-2013, the following occurred:

2010: 11 men, predominantly of an Asian background, are convicted of offences connected with the sexual exploitation of children in Derbyshire.

2011: Times journalist Andrew Norfolk starts receiving tip-offs about child sexual exploitation by predominantly Asian men in Rotherham. It was his insistence on pursuing the story, despite being called racist and concerns the far-right would latch on to it, that eventually led to a national inquiry.

2011: A girl abused by a grooming gang in Huddersfield writes a letter to a judge about the abuse she had suffered. It was not until 2013 that another victim came forward to police to make formal allegations, then dozens of girls and men were interviewed over the next three years. Victims and their families said they repeatedly told police and authorities but nothing happened.

2011: Operation Bullfinch is launched by the police and council in Oxford to look into a child sex abuse ring in the city. The first convictions are secured in May 2013, then 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2020.

May 2012: The first grooming gangs convictions of men from Rochdale and Oldham see nine found guilty of being part of a child sexual exploitation ring run out of two takeaways in Greater Manchester since 2008. A further five from the Rochdale area were jailed the following year.

May 2013: Seven men have been jailed, it emerges, at the conclusion of child sex abuse trials relating to offences in the Telford area

Why were these things allowed to carry on happening? What was covered up?

Concerned citizens like myself demand further insightful inquiry into this heartbreaking issue but we find ourselves labelled as 'far right'. As a society, we need to address this issue, not hide from it, nor muddy discussions with political rhetoric.

It's estimated that thousands of children and young adults have been victims of grooming gangs in the U.K over the past few decades (source: British Children's Commissioner). These victims and their families deserve justice, and the public deserves the truth. However, the debate overshadowed by political posturing causes potential damage to our social fabric and hinders this justice.

By opening a national inquiry into grooming gangs, we can reveal any systematic failures, learn from them, and ensure the safety of all children in the U.K. We demand transparency and justice from our government. The victims of these horrific actions should not remain silent, nor should their plea for justice be polarized.

Don't let politics blur the lines between right and wrong. Stand with us to demand a national inquiry into grooming gangs in the U.K. Sign the petition today.