SNP SHAMED INTO ACTION ON GROOMING GANGS

Review ordered at last although Swinney falls short of holding public inquiry

- BY DAVID WALKER Scottish Politics Reporter

THE Scottish Government was forced into a humiliating U-turn last night as it finally greenlit a review into child grooming gangs.

However, it stopped short of ordering a full public inquiry. It was branded a "last minute" announcement as just six days ago First Minister John Swinney vowed to give his final answer about a Scottish probe before the end of a year.

And in September he rejected claims that a public inquiry should be launched, insisting that there was not enough evidence despite a similar probe in England and Wales.

SNP Justice Secretary Angela Constance even misrepresented the views of expert Professor Alexis Jay to persuade MSPs to vote against an inquiry.

Prof Jay will now be involved in the review after breaking her silence and calling for it to happen. It will inform any future decisions on whether a judge-led inquiry is necessary.

The Scottish Tories welcomed the move but called on the SNP to go further and launch a probe as soon as possible.

It was left up to Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth to make the announcement, despite Ms Constance leading on the issue previously.

She has faced calls to resign over her handling of the affair and Scots Tory leader Russell Findlay said her position was now “untenable”.

He said: “The SNP have finally been shamed into taking action but this doesn’t go far enough, and grooming gang victims won’t be fooled or fobbed off.

“We will continue to press John Swinney and his justice secretary to deliver a full and fearless independent inquiry into the scale of grooming gang activity in Scotland.

“Angela Constance’s conduct has been completely unacceptable and has destroyed any residual trust of victims. John Swinney must see that her position is no longer tenable.”