Grooming gang inquiries to go ahead, says Cooper

THE Home Secretary has insisted that local inquiries into grooming gangs in five towns will be going ahead despite accusations the plans were being watered down.

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Yvette Cooper blamed “party political misinformation” for the claims as she said the reviews were being progressed.

The “victim-centred, locally-led inquiries”, including in Oldham, Greater Manchester, were first announced in January as part of a series of plans to tackle grooming gangs and child sexual abuse.

Asked if all of the local investigations would take place, Yvette Cooper told LBC: “Yep. We're still going ahead. The framework is being drawn up at the moment.

“There’s been, sadly, a lot of, I think, party political misinformation about this. What we should be doing is all working together to support victims and survivors of these really vile crimes.”