ALL three Barnsley MPs have backed the Prime Minister in shooting down an ‘unnecessary’ follow-up inquiry into historic cases of child sexual abuse that effected thousands of youngsters - following recommendations made by expert investigators.
Dozens of towns and cities across the country were rocked after a series of scandals came to light around a decade ago, revealing widespread failure in the reporting and response to the abuse of minors, with Rochdale and Rotherham suffering some of the worst cases.
It is believed that around 1,400 children in the neighbouring South Yorkshire town were groomed between 1997 and 2013, a situation that has been described as the biggest failure of child protection in UK history.
An independent inquiry was commissioned by the then-Home Secretary Theresa May and launched in 2015, lasting seven years as investigators looked into schools, religious institutions and care services.
Despite ending in 2022, recommendations from the inquiry - which include making failure to report child sexual abuse a crime - have yet to be implemented in full.
Keir Starmer’s government have attempted to remedy this with the proposed Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, however have faced mounting criticism after it was revealed the Secretary of State for Safeguarding, Jess Phillips, turned down a request by Oldham Council for a Home Office-led inquiry.
The MP for Birmingham Yardley said the council should host its own local inquiry, pointing to probes held in places like Rotherham and Telford - similar to what was said by the previous Conservative government when they turned down the town’s request.
During a debate over the bill on Wednesday, new Tory leader Kemi Badenoch blasted the PM and tabled an amendment that would require another national-led inquiry, saying that current reports hadn’t ‘joined the dots’.
The amendment was shot down by MPs, with 111 voting in favour - including Badenoch and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage - while 364 opposed, with all three local MPs joining the rest of the Labour Party to stand against the Conservatives proposal.
Barnsley North MP Dan Jarvis backed the government, calling the amendment ‘reckless’ and saying it would prevent the safeguarding of children.
He added: “The government, unlike its predecessors, is committed to implementing the recommendations of the national inquiry that has already taken place into child sexual exploitation.
“This includes introducing mandatory reporting, tougher sentencing, and stronger police action to bring perpetrators to justice and protect victims.
“Child sexual exploitation is one of the most appalling crimes imaginable, and our focus must remain on delivering real, meaningful change to prevent these horrific acts and support survivors.
“The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which will stop vulnerable children falling through the cracks and allow authorities to properly monitor abuse at home, is an important part of the government’s plan to do just that.
“Instead of supporting vulnerable children by backing this bill, the Tories and Reform chose to put forward amendments to throw it out, recklessly and unnecessarily seeking to prevent the safeguarding of our children.”
His decision was inline with comments made by Professor Alexis Jay, who led momentous inquiries in Rotherham and across the country and said on BBC Radio 4 that a further national inquiry would only ‘cause delays’.
If introduced, the bill will reform safeguarding and children’s social care with hopes of making sure no child falls through the cracks, requiring all councils to register children who aren’t in school and allowing local authorities to intervene and require school attendance if their home environment is assessed as unsafe.
Marie Tidball, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, has been working with abuse prevention activist Claire Throssell - who lost her two sons to a deliberate house fire started by their dad - to promote children’s safety in Parliament.
She said: “We do not need another national inquiry; we need action now to deliver for victims and their families.
“The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will bring about the biggest changes to child protection in a generation.
“The amendment tabled yesterday by the Conservatives was a wrecking amendment, intended to prevent the landmark child protection measures in the bill from becoming law.
“I was proud to speak in Parliament about the once in a generation changes it will bring to protect the most vulnerable children, like the sons of my constituent Claire Throssell, who were tragically murdered in a fire at the hands of their domestically abusive father
“Professor Jay, who is the professional who has conducted the previous inquiry, has said there is no need for yet another national inquiry.
“This would delay justice to victims for potentially up to seven years, kicking the can down the road into the long grass.
“In government, the Conservatives took no action implementing any of the recommendations from previous inquiries, and Kemi Badenoch did not nothing in government as Women and Equalities or Children’s Minister to protect victims of grooming gangs.
“Meanwhile, Reform has only suddenly taken an interest at the whim of an un-elected foreign billionaire.
“The victims of this scandal must be at the forefront of our minds.
“We fully support ongoing local inquiries and what target work they can achieve to bring perpetrators to justice and prevent harms to victims.
“In Parliament we are legislating to protect children now and secure their futures so they can reach their potential.”
