Jess Phillips’s rejection of a public inquiry into grooming gangs in Oldham has come under fire yet again after she confirmed she is still yet to speak to any abuse survivors from the town.
Labour’s Safeguarding Minister had told ITV last night she was “apoplectic” that progress on implementing the recommendations of the 2022 Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) had been “so slow”.
Phillips also admitted she had failed to speak to Oldham victims despite rejecting their pleas for a national inquiry – though she vowed she was “very much hoping to do that and arranging that”.
Sam, a survivor from Oldham, told GB News: “It’s infuriating to think a person who has no knowledge of what it’s like in Oldham and has ever met one of us survivors in real life can make these decisions.”
Phillips also admitted she had failed to speak to Oldham victims despite rejecting their pleas for a national inquiry
ITV
Last week, GB News revealed that the Birmingham Yardley MP threw out calls for a Government inquiry into the scandal in favour of a council-led probe.
She told Oldham Council to “take its own approach” instead – sparking a bitter row led by X owner and Donald Trump ally Elon Musk.
Musk has labelled the MP a “rape genocide apologist” and tabled incendiary claims at Labour Prime Ministers Sir Keir Starmer and Gordon Brown.
Musk has even disavowed Nigel Farage as Reform UK leader as part of the week-long row – though Farage has hinted that “maybe we’ll make up”.
MORE ON BRITAIN’S GROOMING GANGS SHAME:
Musk has labelled the MP a ‘rape genocide apologist’ and tabled incendiary claims at multiple Labour Prime Ministers
REUTERS
Phillips has said Musk’s remarks were “ridiculous” and claimed he “knows absolutely nothing” about grooming gangs.
But this morning, the Tesla owner voiced his fury at Phillips again, lashing out at how she “didn’t even try to speak to a single victim” and voicing support for a social media post alleging “her actual job is to protect other Labour party politicians, not the actual citizens”.
Phillips told ITV that she had pushed for a local inquiry in Oldham after “things changed way quicker” in a similar probe in Telford, which also fell victim to the gangs.
“When I was asked to make that decision my instinct was to try and get for Oldham what I’d seen in Telford”, she told the broadcaster.
The Government maintains that: “No child should ever suffer sexual abuse or exploitation and it is paramount we do more to protect vulnerable children – which is why we are working at pace across government to drive forward real action to implement the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, chaired by professor Alexis Jay.
“The comprehensive independent inquiry ran for seven years and continues to work with survivors of these heinous crimes – and this government is committed to working closely with survivors and expert groups like Act on IICSA.”
